Echoes from His Past
by 247wonder
Summary: The story of an unlucky Enderman and his steadfast love for a human girl. (Prequel/sequel to HUGS) Enjoy! :3
1. Alone

**Chapter One: Alone**

Alirach was restless again. It had been too long since she had last carried. Her mate could sense it, and feared what she might do if she had to wait any longer.

Baseel was smaller than his mate, and often more timid. This made it hard to carry out his duty to drive out their son in order that they might have another child.

Ender families, being bound by a specific set of instincts, only ever had one child at a time. And, once he or she came to be old enough to survive on their own, the father would drive them out of the den. While it sounds harsh, it is for the good of the child. Because if an Ender stayed too long in the den, the mother could wound or even kill them trying to drive them out herself.

Baseel had already neglected his duty once, and still bore the scars from protecting their last child. With Alirach in her agitated state, he knew he didn't have much time left.

Their son's name was Eshoel. Though he was only ten years old, he had grown almost to adult size. The young Ender looked at his father in confusion as he approached. Baseel did his best to look intimidating, raising the spines in his back in a show of dominance.

Alirach watched from the far side of the den, magenta eyes narrowed. Baseel could feel her burning gaze, and growled at his son.

Eshoel backed away in surprise, his own spines twitching defensively.

" _Father?_ " He inquired fearfully. Baseel ignored the word, baring his teeth.

" _Go._ " He uttered. " _Leave now._ "

Eshoel's instinct told him to fight, to defend himself. However, another part of him was still attached to his parents. His heart was softer than most Enders', and Baseel feared it might hinder his ability to survive. Nevertheless, it was time for him to go.

" _Leave!_ " Baseel snarled. Eshoel hesitated, glancing at his mother in vain hope that she might defend him.

Alirach growled.

Seeing he was obviously no longer welcome, the young Ender turned and darted out of the den, teleporting out of sight.

xxx

Eshoel wasn't helpless. He knew that he was of age. Baseel had chased him out of the den twice before, preparing him for the day he would be driven away.

It was time.

xxx

Instinct told the young Ender to go West. He teleported to the top a nearby cliff side and turned towards the darkening horizon.

His first act of independence was to find a den of his own. However, it could take days, perhaps even weeks before he found one.

He traveled through the night, covering a fair distance before the sky began to grow light. Having no possessions to take with him, he would make good time.

In the early morning, Eshoel came across a clearing. There were other Ender youth here, likely on journeys similar to the one he had just begun. There were four, not counting himself. There seemed to be a sort of silent agreement between them, as they stayed at a respectful distance from each other. Eshoel moved to the outside of the clearing and settled to rest for the day.

xxx

The next morning, the Ender awoke to growling. He peered out from the cover of the trees, seeing two other males facing off in the middle of the clearing. Spines raised and teeth bared, they glared at one another. One struck out, the tussle began.

Eshoel noticed the other youth watching as well, tense with fear and hostility. The urge to fight was spreading. Eshoel felt a hungry gaze fall on him.

He teleported.

xxx

The rest of his travels were much the same, and he learned to avoid the other Enders. Every den he came to was already inhabited, and poor Eshoel found himself unwelcome nearly everywhere he looked.

He traveled for months. Much longer than he should have. It wasn't until he reached the dry forest of the far West that he finally settled.

His den was not much of a den, certainly not suitable to house a mate, much less offspring. Eshoel didn't mind. After the hardships of his travels, he knew he was more fit for a life of solitude.

His soft heart ached, though. He missed his home. Baseel and Alirach, though they were not always kind and loving, they were his parents. He missed them.

Eshoel crooned sadly, then, seeing the sky begin to turn light, he slipped away into the cover of his lonely den.


	2. Cold

**Chapter 2: Cold**

Nine years. Nine years, he lived in that empty den. Once in awhile, though, a stray mob would wander in. Unlike his cruel kin, he did not chase them away. Often, they were gone in a few days, and once again he was left alone.

Eshoel, fully grown now, found himself not as lonely as before. Not because of the occasional company, but because his soft heart had grown cold.

xxx

It was late Winter now. Eshoel rarely left the den. Only a few blocks underground, the frigid air seeped in from the entrance. The Ender shuddered, curling up in the warmest spot he could find.

Somewhere, deep inside, Eshoel felt the pang of loneliness return. Quickly, he suppressed it, knowing that would only make the Winter nights longer.

xxx

The next day he ventured out of the den. He had not eaten nearly enough in Autumn to last through the cold season. Food was scarce in this part of the forest. Nevertheless, he somehow made it nine Winters. However, Eshoel feared this might be his last.

There was no food among the frosty leaves. The mushrooms had all died, and the small game was either hibernating or gone to warmer lands.

Food. He needed food.

xxx

Eshoel wandered farther from the den. Picking up a scent, he followed it South for a ways.

It was a strange smell. One he had not come across before. Similar to Ender-scent, but at the same time much different. As he came closer he could distinguish different scents: cut wood, animals, and the faintest hint of smoke. There were food smells, too―which made the Ender forget to be cautious.

Meat. There was meat cooking. And carrots, potatoes, mushrooms… and a sweet, spiced smell Eshoel couldn't quite place. Determined to find out where it was coming from, he crept out of the cover of the woods.

What he found was unlike anything he had ever seen before.

Huge logs were planted upright, making the corners of a wooden structure. It looked like a small mountain, with holes in its sides that made the Ender think of caves. Light that was not sunlight came from the cave-holes. There were sounds of life within.

Eshoel tilted his head, bewildered. Having lived his entire life in the remote depths of the woods, he had never seen a thing like the wood-mountain before him. His instinct told him to run away. New and unusual things like this must be bad.

But his heart stirred. A bit of the cold shell he had built around it had given way. The curiosity of his youth crept back, urging him to investigate.

For the first time in a long time, he did as it said.

Up close, the wood-mountain was even stranger. On the front face, there was a small outcropping that sheltered another cave-hole. Though this one was smaller than the others, and blocked by a wood panel.

Eshoel walked around the side, finding more cave-holes of different sizes. Seeing them closer, he realized that the holes were filled with thin, clear panes like ice―yet they were warm to the touch.

While the warm ice was intriguing, Eshoel was more interested in finding food. And, even more than that, finding what sort of creatures lived in the wood-mountain.

Coming around the East face, Eshoel stopped. Through one of the cave-holes, he saw them.

They looked like Enders, but much smaller and lighter in color. From what he could tell, there was a male and a female. Mates, perhaps?

Neither of them saw the Ender through the cave-hole. Eshoel watched in silence, curious as to what they were doing.

The male was sitting on a strangely shaped stump. The female went to him, carrying something that might have been food. She handed it to him. The male seemed pleased, taking a bite.

Eshoel stared, wide-eyed and hungry. The sweet smell had returned, and now he could see where it came from. The male ate, and the female watched for a moment. Then, as she started to turn away, she froze.

She was looking at him.

Eshoel felt a growl rise in his throat―though he was more panicked than angered. She kept looking at him, batting the male with one hand. He looked up, too.

Eshoel teleported.

xxx

The Ender's heart raced as he teleported as far away as possible. What had he been thinking? He should have run when he had the chance.

He started towards the den, or where he thought the den should be. The night was ending.

Where was the den?

It was as the sun was rising that Eshoel realized he was hopelessly lost.

He had ventured to a strange place, foolishly curious. Now he was lost, far from home, and still hungry.

Even as the sun came up to warm the earth, Eshoel felt cold. A new layer of frost covered the leaves―and his heart.

No more wandering. No more curiosity. He had to stay cold, to protect his soft heart.

Cold.

So, so very cold…


	3. Disaster

**Chapter 3: Disaster**

Eshoel took shelter under a tree for the day, promising himself he would find the den in the evening. However, when night came, he still did not find his way home.

Weeks passed. He would not survive out in the open for much longer.

The world was beginning to warm again as Spring came. The frost was melting, and Eshoel could feel his instinct pulling him East, back to Ender territory. Mating season would arrive soon, as it did every year. Eshoel had done well to resist it in the past years, but as he was older now, the pull was stronger than ever.

No. He would not go. But… perhaps he should. The Ender territory was much safer. No wood-mountains and strange creatures.

At the same time, however, it was home to the very creatures that had been so hostile to him in his youth.

Eshoel pushed the matter aside. He would decide on that later.

Right now, he needed to find a new home.

xxx

Finding a new den proved a challenging task. While there were plenty of caves, Eshoel ignored every one of them. Though he was strong enough now to fight his way in, he simply wouldn't allow himself to do it. He would make his own den if he had to, but he refused to go anywhere near the other mobs.

xxx

A tree seemed a strange place for an Ender to live, but Eshoel found it quite comfortable. There was one drawback, however…

The tree, though it had lived many years and weathered many storms, was weak.

Summer arrived, and Eshoel was quite proud of himself. Not only had he found a clever new den, but he had managed to again resist the instinct to return to the Ender territory.

His pride was cut short, however, when the rainy season came.

Though the West forest was dry for most of the year, one month in Summer brought rain that saturated the driest ground. The first storms tested the old tree's strength, but Eshoel wasn't worried.

It was the storm of mid-season that finally caused the tree to fall.

xxx

Eshoel stared in disbelief as his second den collapsed before his eyes. Thankfully, he had not been in the tree when it came down. He had been out hunting when the storm began, returning to the tree just in time to see the lighting strike.

With the rain burning his skin, Eshoel had no other choice but to take cover under the tree's corpse.

Even under the protection of the branches, water dripped in. Eshoel hissed at the pain, cursing his bad luck.

It seemed the future held nothing but disaster for him.


	4. Found

**Chapter 4: Found**

Eshoel didn't move as he watched her run. It was one of those strange creatures again.

The rain was pouring down in buckets, now. How long would the storm last? Eshoel's whole body stung from the burns. The girl didn't seem affected by it, though. She ran through the deluge in search of shelter.

Suddenly, a branch fell, landing squarely on the Ender's shoulders. Eshoel cried out, slumping under the weight of the log. Rain flooded in, worsening the burns.

The girl stopped too close to the tree, looking around. Her eyes fell on him.

Eshoel growled, but he was too weak to fight. Too weak to teleport, even.

He was trapped.

Eshoel felt his aching muscles go slack, and let his head lower onto the wet grass.

Perhaps this was the end, then.

Eshoel closed his eyes, and surrendered.

xxx

Hannah dropped her pack, bending to look at the fallen tree. Shielding her face from the rain, she knelt in the rain-soaked grass.

It was an Enderman.

Hannah gasped, instinctively scrambling away. After a moment, she realized the Ender wasn't moving. Was he dead? Maybe.

Hannah had a heart for animals, but she had been warned to keep away from hostile mobs. Nevertheless, her soft heart stirred.

"Just to make sure…" she told herself, reaching out cautiously to touch the body.

It was warm, and a pulse fluttered weakly from within.

Alive.

At that moment, a hundred things raced through the girl's mind. Her love for mobs wouldn't allow her to leave one to die. Not even an Ender.

Ignoring her conscience, she crouched under the log that held the Enderman down. Pushing up with her legs, she threw it aside.

Hannah had lived all her life doing good, hard farm work―which made carrying the Ender home no problem. The real problem, however, would be getting him inside.

xxx

Eshoel was surprised to have the girl carry him to easily. She had freed him from the fallen log, but he still could not move.

The rain continued to burn the Ender's bare skin, and he was sure the girl had already noticed his groaning. Even so, he continued to pretend he wasn't alive. After all, he was sure he wouldn't be in a few minutes.

xxx

Coming in sight of the farm house, Hannah dumped the Ender off her back under a nearby tree. Every part of her ached from dragging the enormous creature, but she wasn't about to give up. Looking at him, she gasped. How had she forgotten that rain burned them? His skin was raw, and hot to the touch.

She had to get him inside.

xxx

The back door slammed open. Uriah jumped, surprised. The shock was quickly replaced by annoyance. Hannah had promised not to stay out so late this time.

Setting down his book, he walked towards the mud room.

"Hannah, you were supposed to be home an hour ag―"

What he saw cut off the rest of his sentence. Hannah―soaking wet in her leather parka―stared at him, speechless as to what she was doing. Uriah could only stare back, at a loss for words. Taking a moment to recover, he closed his eyes.

"No." He breathed. "No, no, no, no, no."

Hannah started to say something. Uriah raised a hand, stopping her.

"You have three seconds to tell me that's not an Enderman you're bringing into our house." He told her.

"... This isn't an Enderman I'm bringing into our house… ?"

Uriah opened his eyes again, giving her a serious look. Hannah withered.

"He's hurt, Uri," she explained. "I couldn't just leave him…"

"Yes, you could have." He said. "And you _should_ have. The last thing we need around here is more of those walking nightmares."

Hannah looked guilty, but she wouldn't be stopped so easily.

"... I just want to heal him, and I'll let him go in the morning, okay?"

"No! Not okay! Hannah, do you realize what you're doing?"

"Please, Uri!"

"No. That's final. You're not going to put yourself― _both_ of us―in danger by bringing this… _thing_ into our house. If I let you, do you know what he'll do? You'll heal him, and he'll wake up in the morning and rip us apart as a thank you. This is serious, Hannah. If we die, there's _no respawn._ "

"I know…" Hannah sighed, "But…"

" _But_ what?" Uriah questioned, raising an eyebrow. "... And don't you dare bring Mitzi into all of this."

Hannah was in the verge of tears, now. The mention of her best friend's death was too much. Ever since Mitzi had been murdered in the city, Hannah had shied away from the other players. Here, she was in paradise, alone with Uriah and the animals. Once, and _only_ once, had she ever used the loss of Mitzi as a means to convince Uriah of anything. The wolf pup she had found _had_ eased her grief, but Uriah was determined not to be manipulated like that again. The wolf was the limit, and this stepped far, far beyond the limit.

"You're cruel, you know that?" Hannah pouted. She sat by the limp Ender, burying her face in her knees.

"Don't be a baby, 'Nah." Uriah scolded. "We're adults, now. Use a little common sense!"

Hannah didn't reply.

After a long minute, Uriah sighed, running a hand through his hair.

 _God, what am I going to do with this girl?_ He thought, hoping _He_ might have an answer.

xxx

The longer Uriah waited, the more his heart ached. All his life, he had loved Hannah dearly. Though she was immature at times, and often overdramatic, her heart was good. So many times, he had shot her down―and every time, the shot backfired. So many times, he had given in.

He had called her a baby, but in his heart he knew she wasn't.

She was the strongest person he had ever met.

Uriah found himself remembering the wolf pup. It had been a dangerous endeavor, and he knew it. They both knew it. Hannah, however, was willing to take the risk.

She had found the pup abandoned, on a night like this. Of course, she couldn't leave it on its own. As usual, Uriah had been skeptical, but after enough of her begging he agreed to keep it. He had feared the pup would grow to be a wild animal, and he was right. But Hannah―fearless, loving Hannah―she trained it. Punishing it when it needed to be reminded who was boss, and rewarding for good behavior. She had a soft heart, but that didn't make her weak.

In fact, it made her stronger.

"Fine." Uriah huffed, not believing his own words. Hannah looked up, tear-streaks lining her face.

"But if he gets aggressive…" Uriah continued quickly, grabbing his sword off the wall. He pointed it at the Ender. "You know what will happen."

"Oh, thank you, Uri!" She sobbed, throwing her arms around him. He shifted back, keeping the sword's sharp edge away from her. Sighing, he returned the embrace.

 _What have I gotten us into?_


	5. Strange Creatures

**hapter 5: Strange Creatures**

Though fully awake, Eshoel kept his eyes closed. He could feel the girl's presence. She was quiet, but he could hear footsteps nearby. Someone was pacing.

Meanwhile, there was another sound. Soft grinding, stone against stone.

She spoke.

"I think this is ready. Is he still asleep?"

"Looks like it." Grunted another voice. A few of the words seemed familiar, and Eshoel guessed that the strange creatures used a language similar to Ender-speak.

Suddenly, something cool and liquid touched his shoulder.

Eshoel's eyes snapped open.

xxx

Hannah gasped, and quickly averted her eyes. Though she could still feel the Ender's ultraviolet gaze on her. Uriah moved behind her, keeping his sword ready.

The Ender sat up and backed away. He growled quietly, as if trying to decide what to do. Hannah kept her gaze down, mind racing. A single, stupid thought appeared in her mind.

Lowering her head, she inched closer to the Ender.

" _Hannah_ ," Uriah hissed. " _What are you doing?_ "

She didn't reply. Crawling as close as safely possible, she stopped.

As if sitting so close wasn't dangerous enough, she reached out her hand.

xxx

Eshoel sat frozen before the girl. She did not look at him, head lowered in submission. He growled again, but it wasn't sincere. He was curious.

Her hand reached out, and Eshoel tried to move away. His back touched a wall.

He was cornered.

The Ender made another sound now. He had intended it to be a snarl, but it ended in a whimper.

He was trapped in a strange place with strange creatures. The same strange creatures he had so foolishly gone to investigate.

For the first time in a long time, Eshoel was afraid.

xxx

Hannah's heart skipped when her fingertips found the Ender. He made a strangled sound of distress, tensing at her touch.

Hannah licked her lips nervously, hoping her plan wouldn't backfire. After all, she didn't know many Ender words.

" _Silesh,_ " she uttered, hoping it was the right word. " _Silesh nua…_ "

xxx

Eshoel stared wide-eyed at the girl. She was speaking. But not just speaking…

He could understand her.

" _Hush_ ," she said, " _Hush now…_ "

The Ender relaxed slightly, curiosity taking over again. How did she know Ender-speak?

" _Who are you?_ "

xxx

"Kies era uoy _?_ "

Without thinking, Hannah glanced up, surprised. The Ender stared back at her, speaking again. He waited expectantly for an answer.

Hannah looked over at Uriah. He gave her a look that said " _be careful_ ".

Slowly, she pulled her hand away from the Ender. He seemed to relax a bit, repeating his question.

"Um…" Hannah's mind raced for a solution. Glancing at the healing salve nearby, she pushed the bowl between her and the Ender. He stared at it, confused. Hannah demonstrated, dipping one hand into the bowl and scooping out a lump of the gooey salve. The Ender cocked his head, then, seeming to forget his question, leaned forward a bit to inspect the bowl. Curious, he tentatively poked it. Then, copying Hannah, took some out. Hannah grinned, looking at Uriah excitedly. Uriah started to smile back, until he looked back at the Ender. Hannah followed his gaze.

The Ender, ever curious, stared at the salve on his fingers. Cautiously, he sniffed it, as if trying to figure out if it was…

"No!" Hannah yelped, startling him before he could taste it.

"No," she repeated, softening her tone. Being careful not to spook him, she reached out and dabbed the salve from her hand onto his scratched shoulder. The Ender stared at it for a minute, then at Hannah, then at the salve on his own hand. Hannah waited impatiently, watching the wheels turn in the Ender's head.

Finally, he seemed to come to a conclusion. Reaching out, he placed the salve from his hand onto Hannah's shoulder, as she had done to him. For a moment, Hannah just stared, dumbfounded. Then, she started to laugh.

xxx

Eshoel wasn't sure what had just happened, or what the strange sounds the girl made meant. Either way, he had come to the conclusion that these creatures were not trying to hurt him. At least not this one. He was still wary of the male, and the metal stick he held. They were strange creatures, to be sure, but not malicious.

xxx

The salve was cool and soothing. Eshoel didn't shy away when the girl reached out to put on more. He could almost feel his wounds disappear. However, when he reached to touch the gash on his back, a bolt of pain shot through him. He yelped, quickly pulling his hand back.

"Careful," said the girl. "It's going to take a while to heal."

He still couldn't quite understand what she was saying, but he no longer cared. He wanted to find out more about these strange creatures. Though he knew it was foolish, what else was there to do? He had no den, and he had no desire to search for a third home. Strange though they were, the creatures were hospitable, and the girl was kind.

Outside, the storm raged on. Eshoel knew he wouldn't be able to leave even if he wanted to. He would wait for the storm to pass. And in the meantime, he would allow himself to feed his starving curiosity.


	6. Weary

**Chapter 6: Weary**

It was sunhigh. Eshoel stared out the cave-hole from the inside, wondering when he would return to the outside world. He was hesitant, knowing how difficult it would be to fend for himself after losing his second home. A small part of him wanted to stay in the wood-mountain. It was far too risky, though. Not to mention incredibly foolish.

He had awoken with spider silk on his back and shoulders. It had taken some time to get it off. The wounds no longer ached, and his skin was no longer mottled with burns.

He was healed.

It was a strange feeling, what he felt now. He wasn't sure how to describe it. He had to admit, he liked the strange creatures that had so graciously taken him in. He had a feeling that his rapid healing was the girl's doing.

xxx

"So are you going to let him go or what?" Uriah asked. Hannah chewed her lip, being careful not to stare at the Ender.

"I just want to make sure he'll be okay." She murmured. "The salve can take a few days to work completely."

"That doesn't matter." Uriah told her. "Look, he doesn't seem to be in pain, and he wants to go. He's been staring out that window for the past hour."

"I know…" Hannah sighed. The Ender was strong enough to be released, but he probably wouldn't be able to teleport until the salve fully healed him. He would be vulnerable, but his safety was not as important as their own at this point.

It was time for the Ender to go.

xxx

"Hey, big guy,"

Eshoel turned, and the girl seemed startled by the sudden movement. She avoided his gaze.

"You ready to go?"

He was still having trouble understanding her strange words. The male stood behind her, still holding his metal stick. Eshoel watched as he went to the wall and pushed open a big wood panel. Daylight streamed in, and Eshoel could feel the breeze from where he sat.

They were letting him go.

For a long time, Eshoel only stared at the open panel. His mind was spinning. Where would he go? It was unheard of for an Ender to migrate as much as he had. It felt unnatural to be set free, only to roam aimlessly. It was like leaving one prison only to find himself in another. But at the same time, he knew he could not stay. Not only was it dangerous for him, it was dangerous for his hosts. They were scared of him.

He had to go.

xxx

After the Ender finally made his way out the door, Uriah shut it quickly behind him.

"Thank heavens that's done with." He sighed, setting his sword down.

Hannah went to the window, daring to look and see that the Ender made it safely on his way. He was standing in the front yard, seeming hesitant to go. But before long, he turned and disappeared into the woods.

xxx

Eshoel didn't go far. In fact, he didn't stray out of sight of the wood-mountain. He had already ruled out trying to find another den. With his luck, he would find one worse than the last. Or nothing at all. He briefly considered the Ender territory, but quickly discarded that idea as well. Mating season was over. He wouldn't be welcome there.

The afternoon passed slowly as Eshoel settled in the shade of a nearby Spruce. His hunger had returned, and he would have tried hunting if he wasn't so tired. It was so late in the day, an unnatural hour for an Ender to be awake. He needed rest, clear his mind before trying to figure out what to do next.

Too weary to care about the dangers of resting out in the open, Eshoel fell asleep.


	7. Hunger

**Chapter 7: Hunger**

Eshoel wasn't sure what time it was when he awoke. He was relieved to have woken at all. The local mobs were about now, and most of them had chosen to leave the Ender alone.

Eshoel pulled himself upright, hunger clawing at his insides. It had been more than twenty-four hours since he had last eaten. And though he could go much longer without food, he would need the energy to heal.

Standing up, the Ender took in a deep breath. There were many scents, mobs, trees, soil… but there was one in particular that made his heart beat a little faster.

Food.

Mushrooms weren't his favorite food, but they were much easier to find than meat. Eshoel followed the scent to a neat patch of soil where they grew in an unusual multitude.

Without a second thought, the Ender collected as many as he could before retreating back into the cover of the trees. Considering the abundance of food, there could be other mobs that would fight to have it all to themselves.

xxx

The mushrooms went quickly, and Eshoel was soon hungry again. Morning was already on its way, and he hoped to sleep through the day. He started back towards the mushroom patch when another scent caught his attention. Many scents, actually. Turning away from the mushroom patch he found that the nearby grounds were covered in edible plants. Potatoes, carrots, melons, and many others the Ender did not recognize. How had he not noticed them before?

For some reason, the other mobs seemed to avoid the food place, but Eshoel thought nothing of it as he began foraging through the other patches.

As morning came, the Ender found his hunger was finally satisfied. He didn't question how so many food plants had come to be in the same place. He assumed it was because the wood-mountain was nearby. All sorts of strange things seemed to exist near here. Some of which he had yet to discover.

xxx

Hannah was hungry.

The garden was only a short walk from the house, nestled in a grove on the edge of the forest. The soil was more fertile here, and she didn't mind having to walk a little ways if it meant better produce.

However, when she reached the garden, she was surprised to find that much of it had been uprooted. Odd, since the mobs that lived around here had learned to stay away from the garden. Especially now that Hannah had trained her wolf-dog, Shep, to guard it.

Sighing, she assumed it had been another wolf. Once in awhile, one would come in and dig up the vegetables in search of bones Shep sometimes buried there.

Having her work cut out for her, Hannah started collecting the produce that had survived.

xxx

Eshoel was awoken by strange noises coming from the food place. Being still early in the morning, he decided to investigate.

It was the girl.

Eshoel watched from a distance as she used a It was still early in the day, so he decided to investigate.

It was the girl.

She gathered up the vegetables that he had left behind from the night's raid. She then used a flat rock on a stick to turn the dirt, making neat furrows from the trampled soil.

Eshoel didn't know how long he had been watching when the girl looked up. She froze, eyes locked on him. Eshoel stared back for a moment, then teleported.

xxx

The Ender was surprised to have gotten so far, being still a bit weak from his wounds. A part of him regretted leaving. Quickly, his logical side smothered it. He was nineteen now. He had never mated, which was unheard of for an Ender his age. And as if that wasn't odd enough, he couldn't seem to keep away from the strange creatures of the wood-mountain. To top it all off, he had no den and refused to fight his way into one.

Unmated, foolish, and homeless.

What kind of an Ender was he, anyway?


	8. A Peaceful Oddity

**A/N: Wow! So much great feedback! Thanks so much, everybody. :3 Sorry this upload took so long, I've been having a bit of writer's block, plus my computer at home is temporarily out of commission. Anyway, here's chapter eight! Enjoy!**

 **God Bless,**

 **-Wonder**

 **XXX**

 **Chapter 8: A Peaceful Oddity**

Eshoel didn't try to erase his past. He knew three things, now. Firstly, he would never return to Ender territory. Not only did he not want to, but he knew all too well the welcome he would receive. Secondly, the strange creatures were not hunting him. Though they were certainly dangerous, he had experienced their kindness firsthand. Finally, he was hungry again. It was time to hunt.

xxx

It normally didn't take the Ender long to find prey. But with his recent bad luck, he didn't expect to find anything right away.

He stalked a rabbit for some time, before it escaped down into its burrow. Wild chickens were easier to catch, but had little meat. Nearly the entire night had gone by when he was finally satisfied.

Eshoel returned to the grove in which he had taken refuge the night before. This time, however, he found it surprisingly empty. The local mobs were nowhere to be found.

Eshoel was wary, but not enough to be scared away. He settled at the base of a spruce, nestling comfortably among the roots. He had been there no longer than a few minutes when a snuffling noise alerted him. Eyes flashing open, the Ender found himself nose-to-nose with a wolf.

Now, Endermen weren't afraid of wolves. However, they were careful to keep in good relations with them as wolves greatly outnumbered them. Eshoel sat perfectly still as the wolf sniffed. Seeming to come to the conclusion that the Ender was not causing any trouble, the wolf moved away. Eshoel waited patiently for it to leave, but it didn't. The wolf sat down and stared at him, head tilted in curiosity.

Eshoel soon realized that the dog had no intent of harming him. Relaxing a bit, he tried once again to sleep. Though in a matter of minutes he has awoken by the wolf a second time. The dog had brought a branch this time.

Eshoel wasn't sure what the wolf was trying to do, so he closed his eyes again. The dog whimpered impatiently.

Eshoel growled quietly, but the wolf didn't move. Sitting up, the Ender stared bitterly at the annoying creature. The wolf seemed to smile, prancing a bit and pushing the branch closer.

Fed up with the dog's games, Eshoel grabbed the stick and threw it away. The wolf chased after it.

Finally rid of the wolf, Eshoel leaned back against the tree. Perhaps now he could get some rest.

Of course, the wolf wouldn't let him alone that easily. Once again, Eshoel found himself growling at the dog. He threw the branch farther this time, hoping it would be enough. However, before he even closed his eyes, the wolf had found the branch and started back with it.

The Ender groaned, seeing that he wouldn't be getting any sleep soon. However, before the wolf had returned to give him the branch again, a voice called out.

Eshoel stiffened. The dog's ears pricked up as it looked in the direction of the call. Its tail began to wag.

"Shep! Shep, where are you?"

The wolf dropped the branch, barking in response.

"There you are…"

Eshoel couldn't force himself to move. He knew who it was. What was this game that fate seemed to play, always crossing their paths? Eshoel wasn't sure, but he didn't run away this time.

The wolf ran to its owner. The girl bent down to pat it on the head, then looked up. She seemed surprised by the Ender, but not afraid.

"Hey there," she said, keeping a careful distance. Her voice was kind. Eshoel found himself calm, even though she was looking right at him. Seeming to sense this, the girl continued talking.

"How you feeling? I hope that salve didn't rub off…"

Eshoel tilted his head. He still did not understand her language.

The wolf, Shep, nudged the girl's leg, whimpering. He had placed the branch at her feet.

xxx

Hannah sighed. "Shep, can you _not_ think about fetch for one minute?"

Obviously not. Shep whimpered again, pushing the stick onto her feet. She picked it up, knowing the dog would not leave her alone until she played along. Chucking the stick as far as she could, Hannah hoped that would keep Shep busy for a few moments.

The Ender watched, head tilted. He was a curious mob, more so than many of the others Hannah had met. Despite Uriah's warnings, she wished she could spend more time with him.

Enders were one of Hannah's favorite mobs. Sometimes she wondered if they were even mobs at all. They were an intelligent race, having a society of their own. Though they tended to stay away from humans, they had many human traits. However, at the same time they were also very animal-like. Following deep instincts built into their very DNA, they were both regal and terrifying creatures.

This one seemed different, though. He watched quietly as she threw the branch again for Shep. He didn't seem overly sensitive, either, not minding when Hannah looked at him.

Somehow, Hannah had the feeling this wouldn't be the last time their paths crossed.

xxx

Eshoel spent the next few nights in that grove. The food place was empty the next time he went there, so he spent most of his time hunting. Whenever he returned to his resting place, the wolf-dog, Shep, would be there with another branch. By now the Ender was beginning to understand that the throwing of the branch was a sort of game to the dog. The only way to get Shep to leave him alone was to do this several times. Though Eshoel didn't mind the dog. Shep was friendly, and kept the other mobs from bothering him while he slept. He had made a new friend. A rare occurrence, considering Enders tended to be solitary. Even so, Eshoel thought nothing of it. He knew he was not like the other Enders. Perhaps that was a good thing, now that he thought about it. He would rather be a peaceful oddity than a cruel monster.


	9. Winter Approaches

**Chapter 9: Winter Approaches**

Eshoel soon lost track of how long he had stayed in the grove. Shep visited him often, and sometimes the wolf would hunt with him. Despite his previous fears about being without a den, Eshoel was calm. The grove was safe.

The girl came to visit him as well, and every time they met Eshoel allowed her to stay a little longer. He was developing a sort of liking for the strange creature. She was unlike any being he had ever seen. The Ender waited for her under the spruce tree every morning before settling to rest for the day. Sometimes, she brought food, which he appreciated. While hunting was much easier with Shep's help, the Ender remained partial to the unique produce of the food place.

Today she brought something new. Eshoel perked up as the scent wafted past him.

xxx

Hannah smiled, seeing the Ender's curiosity. She had been bringing him food for almost a month now, but she hadn't brought him human food until now.

"You're going to like this," She told him, sure of it by his look of interest. Without hesitation, he moved closer to see what she had brought.

Uriah had always said she made the best pumpkin pie, but living alone with him in the middle of the woods made it hard to get a second opinion. She's liked it too, but dogs are just about anything. At least Echo had a more refined palette.

Hannah had started calling him that ever since he had started speaking. Mimicking, actually. He was eager to learn, and did his best to copy her words. Though he still had a heavy Ender accent, Hannah couldn't be more excited to be teaching a mob human language.

" _Food?_ " Echo inquired, looking hopefully at the still-warm pie. Hannah smiled.

"Uh-huh. Just for the two of us." She said, then giggled. "Uriah was too busy eating the other one to notice me leave."

Echo tilted his head, still not quite sure about her vocabulary. She smiled again.

"Okay," She told him, "let's eat!"

That, he understood. Scooping some out with his fingers, the Ender began to eat. Hannah did the same, having not brought any utensils. After all, she rather enjoyed doing things his way every now and then.

xxx

Eshoel had never tasted anything like it. Sweet and warm, though the other Autumn foods were dry, and tasted of dirt. But this, this was something fantastic. Something wonderfully good. He had to stop after a few bites to let it sink in.

xxx

Echo had stopped eating. Hannah looked up, wondering if that was a bad sign. The Ender seemed dazed, like a child that had just discovered desserts. In a way, he had.

"You okay, big guy?" She asked, raising an eyebrow. He only blinked in response, looking back down at the mutilated pie.

He reached out for more.

Hannah sighed, relieved. "Well, I suppose while you're busy I should check on that scar of yours."

It had been a week or so since she had last examined his wounds, and they appeared to be completely healed. However, with him living unprotected like this they could easily be reopened.

Echo continued eating, not minding her as she moved to his side.

The long scar on his shoulder had healed quite well, but Hannah could tell that it still bothered the Ender. The salve she had provided him quickened the healing process, but it left wounds aching for months afterward. Hannah knew, as she had used the medicine to heal her arm after injuring it on the farm. It still got sore every now and again.

"You must be miserable out here." She murmured, putting her hand on the scar. "I can't imagine having to sleep on a wound like this."

Hannah rubbed the scar gently, remembering how massaging the wounds eased the aching.

"Don't worry." She told him quietly. "I'll take care of you.'

xxx

Eshoel slowly stopped eating.

The girl had touched him before, but this was different. The ache in his shoulder seemed to melt away as she rubbed at the scar. The feeling was almost as wonderful as eating the food she had brought.

Eshoel felt his muscles relax under her touch.

He had grown partial to her over the time that they had gotten to know each other. The girl was very kind. While she was still very strange, Eshoel was beginning to understand her. She called him "Echo", which, he had to admit, sounded nice. Perhaps he would consider calling himself that, as well.

His thoughts slipped away, however, as she continued massaging his aching shoulder. Without realizing it, the Ender began to purr.

xxx

Hannah had never heard a sound like the one Echo made now. Low and rumbling, like the purr of a cat―though it was much louder. He looked like he was in a trance.

"Uriah is so paranoid." Hannah said to herself. "You're just a big sweetheart. A little scary, granted, but sweet."

Echo doesn't seem to notice her speaking. She giggled. Then, slowly, her smile faded.

"I'm going to miss you this Winter."

xxx

Eshoel stopped purring. For a long time, he had struggled to understand her words. But now, they struck through him like a Skeleton's arrow.

"I'm going to miss you this Winter."

Where was she going? She couldn't be leaving. Not after spending so much time together.

Without having to think, Eshoel said the one word that now raced through his head.

xxx

" _Why?_ "

Hannah blinked, surprised. Echo stared back at her, violet eyes wide with confusion… and hurt.

"Wh… why?" She repeated. "Well… won't you have to go away? It's going to get dreadfully cold in a few months. You need to get back to your den."

Echo's expression faded. He glanced away.

" _No den._ " He murmured.

Hannah's heart sank as she realized the reality of the Ender's situation. This was why he had never left. This was why he stayed so close to the house. Perhaps this was even why he was so docile. He needed something―or some _one_ ―to make him feel like he had a home. He had chosen her.

"Oh, Echo…" she breathed. "I'm so sorry, I didn't realize…"

Echo wasn't paying attention again. He stared, almost instinctively, to the East. It didn't take Hannah long to remember that was the direction of the main Ender territory.

" _Nowhere to go._ " He said lowly, as if removing the idea of returning to his own kind. Hannah had a feeling he wouldn't fit in there, especially not after spending so much time with a human like herself.

For a minute, both of them were quiet.

Suddenly, Hannah threw her arms around the Ender, too emotional to worry about how he might react to the sudden contact.

"I promise, Echo, I'll do whatever I can to get you a safe place to stay this Winter."

xxx

Eshoel was too surprised to be defensive. His eyes widened, muscles tending briefly before relaxing again.

The girl didn't retreat. Her embrace was firm, and steady. A normal Ender would have fought out of it, but Eshoel found himself enjoying it.

"I promise, Echo, I'll do whatever I can to get you a safe place to stay this Winter."

Echo purred.


	10. Winter Refuge

**Chapter 10: Winter Refuge**

Winter came early, and at full force. It had now been a full year since Echo had last slept in the protection of a real den. The girl visited him more frequently now, bringing warm food and bedding to ward off the cold. It wasn't enough, however, and the Ender soon fell ill. If he spent another night out in the open, his condition could become fatal.

xxx

Hannah knew the Ender couldn't stay out in the cold for much longer. Though they were far more enduring than humans, Enders could only last so long unprotected like this.

Hannah feared the consequences of what she was about to do. Her concern for Echo overpowered that, though. The only thing she needed to worry about now was her timing.

Echo didn't stir as she approached, face hidden as he lay facing the trunk of the tree. Shep whined anxiously, sniffing at the Ender's motionless body. Despite the straw and blankets Hannah had provided, a thin layer of frost clung to the Ender's skin.

Could she be too late?

With her own pulse racing with panic, she bent down to search for a heartbeat. Pressing her ear against his back, she prayed to hear something―anything―to indicate the Ender still lived. All she could hear was the rushing of her own blood. Moving away, she tried desperately to calm herself.

His skin was ice-cold. Not a good sign. Was that a wisp of vaporous breath? Waiting for her heart to steady, she leaned down again.

Silence.

Then, a beat.

After a painfully long pause, another followed. Then another.

He was still alive.

"Oh, thank God," Hannah breathed, sure that only He could have done this. "Come on, Shep, we've got to get him to the house."

xxx

Bringing the sled had been a good idea. Though the house wasn't far, Hannah could barely walk in the calf-deep snow. Let alone with an Ender on her shoulders,

Shep had no problem pulling both of them, however. She had trained him well the past few Winters. Even Uriah admitted having a sled dog made logging easier.

Hannah guided Shep around the back of the house. She didn't bother to put the sled away, knowing Echo could fade away at any moment. She dragged him inside, hoping he was still okay.

Uriah had not yet returned from his morning logging trip. The fire was dying down, but there was still plenty of heat. Shep tried to be helpful as Hannah pulled the Ender's limp body to the hearth. It was a sad sight―such a big, powerful creature reduced to this. Hannah could almost see his life draining away.

"Shep, go get some blankets." Hannah told the dog. He tilted his head, unsure of the new command.

" _Blankets,_ Shep. I can't leave him alone."

Shep hesitated a moment, then got up. Hannah sighed, knowing the dog probably wouldn't figure it out. She knelt at Echo's side. Rubbing her hand along his near-frozen skin.

"Boy, you're really cold," She breathed, using both hands in hopes of warming him up a bit faster. After a few minutes, she checked for a pulse. Still beating. Good.

It took Shep a few tries before he finally found what his owner was asking for. Though they weren't the best blankets in the house, they would do. Shep would get a reward later. Now, Hannah had to focus on keeping Echo warm.

xxx

Uriah said nothing when he found what was waiting for him at the house. It wasn't a surprise. Though Hannah had tried to keep it a secret, he had known all along that she was sneaking fof to take care of the Ender. For some reason, it had never gone back to its own den, choosing instead to suffer out in the open.

"What am I going to do with you?" He sighed, not sure whether he was talking to Hannah or the Ender. Shep stirred, tail wagging when he saw his master.

"You helped her, didn't you?" Uriah said to the dog. "I guess I can't blame you. She can be pretty convincing."

He looked back at Hannah. She was asleep, curled up on the floor near the Ender. The fire had long died down. Uriah would start another later. For now, he retrieved another blanket.

"The things I do for you, 'Nah." He murmured, shaking his head. He looked at the Ender. For such a terrifying creature, it looked vulnerable.

"I'll let him stay." He continued, though no one heard him but Shep. "... I'll let him stay, because I know you trust him. But remember that your safety comes first, should he lose that trust."

xxx

Hannah was surprised to find Uriah there when she woke up. How long had she been asleep?

It almost seemed as if Uriah hadn't even noticed Echo. He went about his business, starting a new fire when he saw she was awake.

"Are you mad at me?" Hannah finally asked him, unnerved by his silence. He set down the log he had been about to put on the fire.

"I'm not mad." He replied. "I knew you would bring him back here eventually."

"How?" Hannah asked, dumbfounded. Uriah chuckled.

"You're not as sneaky as you think, 'Nah."

She allowed herself to smile a bit, though it didn't last.

"There's a catch, isn't there?"

"No. Not yet, at least. Just keep it contained."

"I named him Echo."

"Fine. Keep 'Echo' under control. That's all I'm asking. Don't let him get any ideas, though. I'm not letting him stay here forever."

xxx

Echo wasn't sure what to think when he found himself in the wood-mountain. Hannah came to his side as he awoke, smiling. She didn't say anything.

The male was there too, the one Hannah called Uriah. The Ender still wasn't sure what their relationship was, but judging by how Uriah protected Hannah, they were probably mates.

He watched Echo from across the room. The Ender prickled nervously, staying as far away from him as possible. He wasn't sure he would ever _not_ be a little afraid of Uriah. Even so, he had to stay in the wood-mountain this time. It was a matter of survival, now.

Echo knew the winter refuge of the wood-mountain was his saving grace. He knew that Uriah did not want him there, yet he did not drive the Ender out.

It would take time, but Echo knew he had to prove himself to Uriah. He had to make himself worthy of their trust, not just hope for their mercy.


	11. One Day at a Time

**A/N: Wow... it took WAY too long to update such a short chapter... SO sorry, guys, I've had some terrible writer's block lately, and things are super busy with the holidays coming up. However, I will keep working on it, and maybe I will even be able to add in a special Christmas chapter ;)**

 **God bless, and stay wonderful!**

 **-Wonder**

XXX

 **Chapter 11: One Day at a Time**

Echo didn't expect Uriah to accept him easily. It was going to take work. The Ender started by staying out of the way. The corner of the room next to the hearth became his domain. Whenever Uriah came by, Echo submitted. This kept him safe for the time being.

The Ender did his best to minimize his interaction with Hannah, though it was hard when she insisted on spending so much time with him. She continued to teach him her language, feeding him, and just talking to him. Echo could tell Uriah didn't like it. Even so, his bond with Hannah was too strong to break now. He would have to be careful.

xxx

"... And this is my mother." Hannah said, pointing to the picture. In an attempt to teach the Ender about family relations, she had brought out as many of the old photo books as she could find.

" _Mother._ " Echo repeated. Then nodded, indicating he understood. Somehow, Hannah got the feeling he wasn't really learning anything. Ever since she had brought him to the house, he had started acting differently. He tried to avoid her. Perhaps it had something to do with Uriah. After all, he could be quite intimidating―especially now that he carried his sword around the house.

"You're scaring him, you know." She told him at dinner, referring to the sword. As usual, Echo stayed by the hearth to eat, keeping as much distance as possible between him and Uriah.

"Good." Uriah replied, not looking up from his plate. "He needs to know who's boss around here."

Hannah sighed, poking at her baked potato. She knew he was right, but it was still kind of sad. Echo was trying so hard to be docile. At heart, he was still wild. It was in his nature. He seemed to understand that at the slightest hint of menace that he would instantly be thrown back out into the cold. Hannah wished it didn't have to be this way, but Uriah knew what he was doing. When it comes to unpredictable creatures, sometimes fear is the only way to keep them under control.

xxx

Echo sat in silence as he ate, looking at the open page of the book Hannah had left behind. The last picture she had pointed out was of the one she called "mother". At first, the Ender hadn't been quite sure what that meant. He had hoped pretending to understand would get her to leave him alone―for Uriah's sake. Echo was learning more every hour that he spent with Hannah. She loved to teach him. And, despite wanting to stay on good terms with Uriah, Echo loved to learn. He had discovered many similarities―and differences―between Enders and Hannah's kind. "Humans", she called them. While they had many strange ways, they were also very much like the Ender race. They hunted and courted, raised offspring and mated for life. However, they were not as solitary as Enders. Hannah showed Echo pictures of massive Human colonies―called cities. She seemed to like them about as much as an Ender would. Perhaps some Humans were not as social as others.

xxx

The days passed slowly, despite being shorter in the Winter months. Echo spent most of his time inside, though sometimes he ventured out at night. He always returned by morning, though. Not only could he not survive outside the protection of the wood-mountain, but he felt as if he belonged there now. Though it was not quite home yet, he was comfortable there. Hannah welcomed him and cared for him. Uriah would need time. That was alright. After all, Echo had nowhere else to be, nothing else to do. He would take things one day at a time, however long it would take to finally feel like he was home.


	12. Merry Christmas!

**A/N: Maybe this sounds corny, but Christmas is my absolute favorite time of year! The eggnog and presents are great, but my favorite thing about it is what it stands for. Jesus came to Earth, in all its corruption and sin, in the form of a baby. He chose to step down from all-powerful God to a human infant, weak, and dependent on human parents. What's most amazing about it is that he did it to save us, the very ones who have insulted him and rejected him over and over. Not to punish, but to** _ **be**_ **punished for our mistakes. Anyway, here's a special holiday chapter to get you into the Christmas spirit. Enjoy! :3**

 **-Wonder**

XXX

 **Chapter 12: Merry Christmas**

Hannah hummed as she set the table. Christmas had always been her favorite holiday. Not only because of the festivities, but because it reminded her of her childhood home. She and Uriah had spent every Christmas together since they were infants. Their parents weren't the kind of people to throw big parties, but it was memorable nonetheless. It had taken hannah a few years to figure out how to replicate her mother's perfect Christmas roast, but she had finally done it.

Echo watched curiously. His lessons had been cut short for the day, and now he seemed unsure what to do with himself. After a few weeks of Hannah's teachings, he was speaking a lot more. Though he still had quite a ways to go before he was fluent, it made Hannah proud.

" _What doing?_ " He asked, watching as she lit candles around the room.

"Decorating." She replied.

" _Dec-rating?_ "

"Uh-huh," She said. "Making the house look nice."

" _Why for?_ "

"It's Christmas."

There was another funny word. He thought about it for a minute. Hannah did her best to explain the holiday, though it was harder than she expected. Eventually, she gave up. Echo only seemed more confused by the end of it.

"Okay, the tree is up." Uriah called from the living room. "Want to come see it?"

Uriah always waited until Christmas Eve to set up the tree. That way it looked the freshest for the next morning.

"It looks great, Uri!" Hannah exclaimed, grinning. Uriah smiled too. It had originally been his father's role to set up the tree. And, of course, it couldn't be any ordinary tree. He and Hannah had spent the day before hunting down the perfect tree. Echo had come along as well. Hannah, being, well, Hannah, had insisted on making the Ender a scarf and coat for the trip. He looked rather silly in human garb, but at least he was warm.

Echo wasn't sure why it was necessary to have a tree in one's living space, but he didn't complain. In fact, the earthy scent of the spruce was actually sort of comforting. Hannah was examining a box of glittery fruit-like things that Uriah had brought in.

"Are these the ornaments we couldn't find last year?" Hannah asked, touching one of the fruits. There was another new word. Echo would have to ask Hannah to explain them all later.

"Yeah," Uriah replied, looking proud of himself. "I found them out in the shed. Along with this little guy…"

He produced a bundle of cloth. Hannah took it carefully, looking curious. Echo watched over her shoulder as she unfolded the rag.

Hannah gasped softly.

A Creeper.

"I knew you wouldn't let me hear the end of it if I had left him in there to freeze." Uriah admitted. "Especially during the Christmas season. But I want it out of here as soon as it warms up, okay? Having an Ender around is dangerous enough. We don't need a walking bomb, too."

Hannah beamed. "I knew you had a soft spot for them, Uri!"

Uriah rolled his eyes, but smiled anyway.

"Don't get any ideas," he said. "It's not like we're going to start a mob farm."

xxx

Echo was fascinated by the new edition to the household. He had seen plenty of creepers before, but somehow he had forgotten that they started out as infants, like all the other mobs.

Hannah named the Creeper Gideon. It was obvious she wasn't going to be separated from the little thing by the time Spring came. Despite his general opposition to having mobs in the house, Uriah didn't seem to care.

Finally, it was time to eat. Echo had waited patiently, as Hannah had told him to. Uriah was pleased with the Ender's compliance.

It was a special meal. Echo was even allowed to eat at the table.

"Why do I get the feeling he's a part of the family, now?" Uriah asked, shaking his head as Hannah gave the Ender his plate. She smirked, like a little girl that knew she had gotten what she wanted for Christmas.

"Probably because he is." She said.

Uriah sighed, looking from her to Echo. The Ender dipped his head, as if waiting for a harsh retort to break the hopeful air Hannah had created.

"Merry Christmas, Echo."

Echo perked up, looking surprised.

" _Merry Christmas,_ " he repeated.

And it was.


	13. A Turn for the Worse

**Chapter 13 (Part I): A Turn for the Worst**

Echo could sense the danger hours before it arrived. There was something wrong. Hannah and Uriah didn't seem to sense it themselves, but they could tell the Ender was uneasy. Even little Gideon didn't seem to notice anything, though Creepers tended to have more acute sense than Enders.

Echo paced, murmuring in Ender-speak. Once in a while he would stop to stare out the window, as if searching for whatever was making him feel this way. Giving an anxious whine, he went back to pacing. Shep whined, too, his friend's unease wearing off on him.

Something terrible was about to happen.

xxx

Hannah couldn't help but worry. Enders had good sense, and, like wolves, they seemed to be able to foresee danger. Shep was disturbed as well, though it seemed he was more focused on Echo rather than whatever the Ender was picking up on.

"Maybe he just wants to go out," Uriah suggested. Hannah shook her head.

"He knows how to work the door. If he wanted to leave, he would be gone by now. There's something wrong."

"A storm on the way?"

"Maybe, though he didn't act like this before the one last week."

Uriah nodded, remembering. "Well, what could it be then?"

"I don't know," Hannah murmured. "But whatever it is, it's bad."

xxx

Food. Hunger. Anger. Kill.

These are the only things Festas thought about. A tempting scent had lured him here. Something delicious, and alive. Something to kill, and release some of this rage that boiled within him.

He hated the Overworld. Nothing was worse in the eyes of a Pureborn. He belonged in the End. He belonged in the Court. And if it weren't for a single, accursed Overworld ancestor, he would still be there.

He had managed to hide this from the Court leaders when he first joined their ranks. It was the highest of honors to serve directly under their Queen, the dragon. Festas wasn't about to let a single outsider in his family line ruin that for him. Though, in the end, it did. Only the purest blood was allowed to serve in the Court. It was only a matter of time before they realized he came from a flawed line. He had been so close! Only one day away from seizing a permanent seat of high honor, Festas was banished for deception to the Court, and the Queen herself.

He hated the Court. He hated banishment. He hated his filthy Overworld ancestor.

Hunger gnawed at his stomach, a feeling Festas had never experienced. He hated that, too. Being born into a world where he did not need to hunt, he had no idea how to fend for himself. However, the scent he followed now would lead him to an easy kill. One he would enjoy.

xxx

Echo felt his pulse speed up as he finally caught the scent. The danger was nearer than ever, and now he could identify what it was.

Ender.

It came from the West, through the trees cresting the hill close by, near the stables.

This was not going to end well.

xxx

Hannah felt herself go pale when Echo stopped pacing. This time, he stood in silence, staring intently towards the little slope behind the corral. Did he see something there?

Shep was watching, too.

Suddenly, the dog began barking. Uriah leapt up from his chair. Before he or Hannah could see what had alerted him, Shep bolted towards the back door.

Uriah ran after the dog, grabbing his sword. The last time Shep barked like this, a Zombie had gotten into the chicken coop. Hannah shuddered. Though she loved mobs, Zombies were one of the few she hated. While the others were beautiful creatures, Zombies, and Skeletons as well, had an evil air about them. It was an ungodly power that drove them.

Hannah found herself praying silently as she grabbed her own sword. Though her faith was strong against the spirit of evil, it was not easy to protect it in this tainted world.

"Hannah, you should stay inside." Uriah told her. He wasn't asking. And though she wanted desperately to help him, she had secretly hoped he would say that. Biting her lip, she nodded, and put her sword back.

"Okay, Shep!" Uriah called over the dog's continued barking. "Go get it!"

He opened the door, and as soon as he did, Shep tore out across the yard. Taking half a second to glance at Hannah, Uriah raced after the dog.

Hannah stood at the open door, watching. Then, remembering there could be other mobs about, she closed it.

"They're going to be fine." She assured herself, walking back into the living room. "They're going to be fine. They've done this before. Shep's a big dog, he could scare it away just by running at it like that."

Gideon chirruped, pawing at her feet.

"It's going to be okay," she said, picking him up. She spoke to herself more than to the Creeper. She took a deep breath, feeling her nerves begin to settle. "It will be okay. As long as you and Echo are inside, you'll be fine."

She looked up, meaning to return to her spot on the couch.

Echo was no longer standing at the window.

"Oh, no…"

xxx

Festas purred as he finally caught sight of his prey. The foal had nowhere to run, trapped within a ring of vertical branches. Festas didn't care what the structure was, only that it gave him an easy catch. Saliva dripped from the Ender's sharp teeth as he moved closer. He wanted to see fear in the animal's eyes before he slaughtered it.

"Go, Shep!" A voice shouted. Festas growled, turning to see what had interrupted his hunt. A wolf was running towards him, barking. And behind it, an Ender-like Overworld creature. Festas sneered. Good. He was in the mood for a fight.

xxx

It was an Ender.

Uriah couldn't help but recall this was the same sort of creature Hannah had allowed into their house. This encounter would remind both of them just how vicious the nightmare creatures could be.

xxx

Festas teleported out of the dog's way, leaving it confused as it tried to turn around and find him again. Meanwhile, the not-Ender changed direction and continued towards him, raising the metal stick it carried.

Festas snarled, hating how it stared at him. He teleported again, this time coming up behind the creature. It fell suddenly, and Festas seized his chance to attack.

xxx

Uriah was confident with his fighting skills, but Enders never failed to test them. He knew the Ender was going to teleport behind him, but somehow he tripped as he turned to face it. He hit the ground, a sharp pain splitting through his ankle. There was a hole in the ground near where he had been standing, courtesy of Shep. Uriah hissed at the pain, then suddenly, he realized the Ender was only a few feet away from him, snarling.

"Shep!" Uriah screamed. The dog was still too far away. The Ender reached one clawed hand out to slash, and Uriah braced for the pain.

But the cry that pierced the night was not his.

Uriah opened his eyes, violet sparks of adrenaline floating in his vision. The Ender had been pushed away, and there was a new figure standing between them.

"Hannah?" Uriah panted, the adrenaline in his head warping her form. She did not reply. The nightmare roar of an Ender split the air.

Finally, Uriah's vision came into focus.

It wasn't Hannah.

xxx

Echo didn't think. He didn't have to. This was his instinct.

The Ender before him was enormous. A Pureblood, no doubt. Echo didn't care. The spines on his back were raised, his eyes wild. He bared his teeth, ignoring the gash on his arm. Suddenly, he made a sound he never knew he could make.

He roared.

The Pureblood hissed, raising the massive spines on his own back.

" _Overworlder_." He snarled, venom and disgust dripping from his voice.

" _Leave._ " Echo growled in Ender-speak. " _Mine._ "

The Pureblood sneered, not caring that it was his. His territory. His friends. Echo ignored the Pureblood's confidence.

" _Leave._ " He repeated, stepping closer. The Pureblood did not back away.

" _Fight._ " The Pureblood countered, a primal glint shining in his eyes. Echo suppressed the urge to lash out.

" _No._ "

xxx

At first, Uriah could not understand what was going on between the two Enders. They were speaking in their native language. He scooted away, holding onto Shep. The dog growled, anxious to attack. Uriah made him wait.

Suddenly, Echo was speaking so that Uriah could understand as well.

" _No._ " He said, his voice strong. " _Will not fight. You leave. Now._ "

Uriah realized that Echo was still trying to prove himself. He wasn't going to fight. He didn't want Uriah to think he was a monster.

The feral Ender growled something in Ender-speak, repeating the word he had previously said.

He was trying to provoke Echo.

xxx

The Overworlder's willpower was wearing thin. Festas could sense it. He grinned. It would be much more fun to show this outsider his place than to fight the weaker creatures. He lashed out, raking his claws across the Overworlder's skin. The weakling cried out again. Behind him, the not-Ender shouted. Festas glanced at it with a hungry gaze, making the Overworlder growl.

" _Mine._ " He repeated, holding his new wound. He was defending the creatures as if they were his family.

In that case, if the Overworlder would not fight, Festas would make him beg for their lives.

xxx

The Pureblood teleported. Echo spun to find him crouched behind Uriah.

" _Fight. Or I kill._ "

xxx

There was a burst of violet sparks. Uriah froze, heart pounding. The feral Ender was behind him, only inches away. Echo didn't move.

The feral Ender spoke, curling his fingers around Uriah's neck. Slowly, his grip tightened.

Uriah let go of Shep.

xxx

Though Shep was closer to the Pureblood, Echo still beat the dog to him. Not hesitating another moment, he leapt over Uriah and forced the Pureblood to the ground.

xxx

Festas cackled. The Overworlder was playing his game. It was time to win.

However, when he tried to slip out from under the smaller Ender, he found he could not move.

The Overworlder's face had changed. His eyes no longer flashed protectively, but stared with a cold, hard gaze.

Festas writhed, but found himself pinned.

The tables had turned.

xxx

Echo could not feel anything. Instinct took over. This was his territory. His family.

He was going to protect them, no matter the cost.

xxx

Festas was no longer grinning. He felt his heart beat faster. The Overworlder's knee pressed into his chest, claws digging into the flesh of his arms. Festas recognized the new look in the Overworlder's eyes.

Anger. Kill.

It was only now that the Pureblood knew true fear.

xxx

Echo growled, lowering his face only inches away from the Pureblood's. The confidence there had been replaced with fear.

" _Now you leave,_ " Echo said lowly, " _and will never come back._ "

His teeth sank into the Pureblood's neck, clamping down hard. There was a strangled cry that Echo did not hear. He did not hear Shep barking.

Anger. Protect. Kill.

"ECHO!"

That, he heard.

Hannah.

"Echo! Echo, _stop!_ "

Her hands were on him, pulling him away. He let go. His heart pounded, and he stared at what lay before him. There was blood in his mouth.

He was a monster.


	14. Return to Home

**Chapter 13 part 2: Return to Home**

Echo teleported. He ran. He wanted to get as far away as possible. Uriah would come. He had lost what little trust he had gained from him. Worst of all, Hannah would be disappointed. Perhaps even angry.

What had he been thinking? That was the problem. He _hadn't_ been thinking.

Exertion finally caught up to the Ender. He stopped, panting. His legs ached, and the pearl within him was hot from too much teleporting. He needed to take a break. Looking around, he finally realized where he was.

A massive tree lay on the ground before him, struck down by lightning.

Home.

xxx

The feral Ender scrambled up as soon as Echo left, retreating the way he had came. Uriah got a feeling they wouldn't be seeing him for a long time, if ever again. As for Echo…

Hannah was more concerned about Uriah than him at the moment.

"Uri, your foot!" She panicked. It was swelling. Bad. Uriah shook his head, taking a breath to stifle the pain as he stood up. Hannah hurried to support him.

"I'll be fine," he assured her. "We have to find Echo."

"That's not important right now, Uri," she said, trying not to sound worried. Though she was. About both of them. "You've got to get inside. I'll grab some ice from the cellar…"

"Did you see his face before he ran off?"

Hannah was quiet for a minute.

"... He... he was scared." She said finally.

"Of me." Uriah added. "And of himself. He's tried so hard to fit in. To prove himself to me. After that, he probably thinks I'm going to kick him out."

"Are you?"

"No."

Hannah went quiet again. Uriah could tell she was relieved.

"He needs you, 'Nah." He told her. "All he wants is to be part of the family. He _is_ part of the family. And if we don't go after him now, he might never come back."

xxx

It was shameful for a grown Ender to weep. Echo didn't care. Tears stung his face before falling to the ground.

He hid under the tree, curling his knees to his face so that he was almost invisible.

Everything was ruined. He had ruined it.

What was he going to do now?

xxx

Maybe it was minutes, maybe it was hours. Either way, Echo didn't move for a long time. Eventually, he ran out of tears. His body ached from being curled up for so long.

Even though it was night, Echo found himself on the edge of sleep. He closed his eyes, hoping he might never have to open them again. As long as he didn't have to face Hannah and Uriah, he didn't care what happened to him.

A snuffling noise drew him back out of slumber.

xxx

It was him. That was for sure. Shep whined, trying to get the Ender's attention. Echo didn't move. The dog sniffed some more, confirming his friend was alright. Why, then, did he not respond?

The wolf dog backed out of the tree's hollow trunk, turning in the direction he had come. He barked. Once, twice.

There was a hiss from under the tree. Echo.

Shep turned back to the Ender, tail wagging. Echo did not seem pleased, however.

xxx

 _Quiet, quiet, quiet!_ Echo willed the dog. Shep, of course, didn't listen. As soon as he realized the Ender was awake, he went back to barking.

Heavy footsteps thundered nearby, coming fast. The Ender whined anxiously. Should he run? Teleport? Continue to hide?

A thousand possibilities raced through his mind, but the Ender didn't move. It felt like his body was made of stone, unmovable, and dreadfully cold.

He was shivering.

xxx

"Good boy, Shep!" Hannah called, sliding out of the saddle. Her horse fidgeted nervously in the snow. She didn't like being out of the stable at night.

"Shh, it's okay, Jazzy, we'll go back soon."

Uriah was close behind on Ruth, being careful of his bound ankle. Bringing the old horse to a stop, he took Jazzy's reins from Hannah.

"Go get him." He said. "Ruth isn't easily spooked, but Jazz won't stay out here for long."

Hannah nodded.

Shep pranced in front of the fallen tree, happy to help. Echo must be inside.

Hannah glanced back at Uriah. He nodded, urging her to do what she had to do. She didn't know what had caused this sudden change of heart, but she didn't complain. Hannah wanted the Ender back, too.

She crawled under the tree.

xxx

Echo made a pitiful sound, shying away from her. His heart began pounding again, and he wished he would have run when he had the chance. They had hunted him down.

He was cornered. Pressing his back against the tree, he wished he could disappear into it. He considered teleporting.

No. Whatever punishment she had come to give, he deserved it.

He was nothing more than a monster.

He lowered his head, and waited.

xxx

Hannah hesitated. The Ender had crammed himself against the wall of the tree's hollow corpse, staying as far away from her as possible.

She inched closer, and he whimpered. Like a dog bracing to be beaten.

She touched him.

xxx

Echo choked on a cry. Her touch was gentle.

"Echo,"

He didn't respond.

"Echo, look at me,"

He obeyed, glancing at her briefly through the strands of dark hair that had fallen over his face.

She was _smiling._

"I'm glad we found you." She said quietly. "Are you ready to go home?"

Echo stared at her for a long time. Then, though he thought he had spent them all, tears formed again. He buried his face in his hands.

" _Sorry,_ " he murmured through them, " _sorry, sorry, sorry…_ "

Hannah frowned. Carefully, she put her arms around the Ender.

"Shh," she whispered, "it's okay. It's okay. There's nothing to be sorry about. Hush now…"

Echo sank into her embrace, still hiding his face. He was hesitant at first. It had obviously been a long time since someone touched him like this, if ever.

xxx

Echo didn't know what the embrace meant, or why it made him feel better. He didn't care.

Slowly, the tears stopped again. Hopefully for good. He sat still, listening to Hannah's heartbeat. The comforting sound drew out a shy memory from the distant past. The arms of a mother, warm and protective. The heartbeat of the one who had borne him.

Alirach.

But Hannah was nothing like Alirach. She didn't change. Alirach grew distant as Echo had grown older. Hannah held him like a child even though he was almost twice her size.

When Hannah moved away, Echo knew it was time to choose. He knew that he had done something terrible. Hannah knew it, too. Even so, she wanted him to come back. To come home.

The Ender's head hurt, and his heart ached. One begged to go with her, the other insisting it would only bring harm to them.

xxx

Hannah could see his confliction. But if Uriah had decided he would let the Ender stay, she wouldn't leave without him.

"Echo, please come home," she pleaded softly, holding his face so that they saw eye to eye. He blinked, but his bright magenta eyes didn't turn away. He wanted to come. So, so badly. But Hannah could tell by his tight expression that he still felt guilty.

She placed a kiss on his forehead, like a mother reassuring her child.

"You're family now, Echo." She told him. "We want you to stay."

xxx

Echo stared at her for a long time. He wasn't sure what all of these gestures meant, but a strong sense of kinship had emerged from it. They _wanted_ him there. He was _family._

And it was time to go home.

Swallowing the guilt that lingered in his throat, Echo gave a small nod. That was all it took to bring a smile back to Hannah's face.

xxx

Uriah wasn't sure, but he could almost swear the Ender looked like he had been crying. Echo glanced at him timidly, and Uriah nodded his approval. It seemed to encourage the Ender a bit.

Echo didn't know how to ride a horse, but Uriah expected it wouldn't be long before Hannah taught him that, too. For the time being, he teleported short distances alongside the horses. He must have been exhausted.

They arrived back at the house with little trouble. Echo seemed relieved to see the feral Ender had escaped alive. He wasn't a killer. Uriah knew he wasn't, and he likely never would be. He was a protector.

And this would always be his home.


	15. Time Lapse

**Chapter 14: Time Lapse**

Over the following months, Echo learned more, and Hannah was beginning to wonder what she would teach him after he had mastered English. Gardening, perhaps. The Ender would need something to keep him busy. That is, if he didn't migrate East for mating season.

Uriah wasn't regretting his decision for Echo to stay, but he had made some new house rules to accommodate for him.

"First of all, he should at least wear pants." Uriah said. Hannah didn't argue. While Enders had their own concept of modesty, their coverings were still a bit sparse for human taste. Hannah would immediately set to work on a set of Ender-size clothes.

"Secondly, he's either going to have to learn to sleep at night or keep quiet while he roams around." Uriah continued. "I don't mind him staying downstairs during the night, but he'll have to figure out how to keep himself busy without waking us up."

Hannah agreed with this. Echo was generally quiet when he was on his own, but he tended to knock things over. While seeing in the dark was no problem, his awkward size made it hard to maneuver without some kind of clattering to follow.

"Thirdly―and I won't expect this one right away―he should learn to do some kind of work around here." Uriah finished. "He'll need something to keep him busy, and we both know that harvest can get overwhelming with just the two of us. If he's going to be part of the family, he'll have chores too."

Echo didn't mind that. He was curious to see what kinds of things he would get to do.

It was time to start over. New home, new family, new responsibilities. He would have plenty to think about. Perhaps he wouldn't even notice mating season's tug.

xxx

It only took a few weeks to get it all organized. Echo stuck to the minimum when it came to clothing, still not used to how it felt. Hannah reduced his lessons to a single hour in the evening. And the Ender surprised both of them when he gave up his nocturnal routine. Determined to be as helpful as he could, he slowly took on daytime activities.

"Good morning, Echo." Hannah chirped as the Ender wandered into the kitchen. He was still half-asleep.

" _Morning_." He replied. " _Breakfast?_ "

It was another new word he had learned. Surprisingly, the daytime was full of new things.

"Almost ready." Hannah told him. "Do you want sausage or bacon?"

The Ender thought for a moment, trying to remember what each word referred to.

" _Bacon._ " He concluded, smiling to himself. " _Bacon is good._ "

Hannah chuckled. His speaking was getting better every day.

Uriah got back in just in time to join them. Spring was on the way, and that meant early mornings. The nearest village was several miles away, and he rode there every morning to meet with the local villagers for tips on when and what to plant.

Gideon greeted him as he walked through the door. Uriah flinched, then relaxed. The Creeper had grown quickly. He hoped Hannah would release him soon.

"Echo and I are going to put up that fence around the garden today." Hannah reported as he sat down. "It's been sitting around in the shed for years."

Uriah nodded, already digging into his food.

Hannah was about to start, too, when she noticed Echo wasn't wasn't eating. The Ender stared out the kitchen window.

"Echo? Is something wrong?"

" _Spider. In the coop._ " He answered, pointing. Hannah turned to look. Sure enough, a huge, black arachnid had found itself trapped in the chicken run. She sighed.

"I'll take care of it."

xxx

Long story short, "taking care of it" didn't mean what Uriah thought it meant. Twenty minutes later, Hannah came into the house with the spider in tow.

"We're keeping him." She stated, "His name is Skipper."

Uriah didn't ask. He had given up asking a long time ago. Hannah had developed a habit of adopting various mobs that showed up on the property. She had done it before, but since Echo showed up it had become more frequent. Admittedly, Gideon had been his idea. However, he quickly began to regret encouraging her. Over the following weeks, Hannah brought in other mobs. After Skipper came a baby Slime, two more Spiders, and a female Creeper. If things weren't out of hand before, they certainly were now.

"We can keep them all in the house, 'Nah," He told her. Surprisingly, she agreed.

"I just feel bad to leave them with no shelter." She explained. "What if we built a little shed in the backyard? They would have somewhere warm to sleep, and they could come and go as they please."

Uriah thought about this. In reality, it wasn't a bad idea. This way, the visiting mobs wouldn't be in the way, and Hannah would still be happy.

"I'll get to work on that."

xxx

The shed was only the first, though. As it turns out, some mob species don't mix. Another shelter was built to keep Creepers apart from the others. Then another for Slimes. (They seemed to come by the dozen, and grew bigger every day)

Uriah was beginning to regret his joke about starting a mob farm.


	16. Girl Trouble

**Chapter 15: Girl Trouble**

Summer had barely arrived before there were three new shelters standing in the backyard. Mobs trickled in from the forest to stay the night, but now that the warmer season had arrived they didn't need to stay long. Uriah tolerated it, as long as they didn't cause any trouble. He even allowed Gideon and Skipper to stay permanently.

"There, now the others will know you're in charge here," Hannah said, removing her hand from Echo's shoulder. The mark left behind was a white print, indicating he was one of the permanent residents. He served as a sort of interpreter now, helping keep the peace between the other mobs.

" _Thank you,_ " He said, admiring his new mark. Skipper and Gideon didn't seem to care much about theirs. Hannah could tell Echo was feeling the responsibility that came with it.

"Don't worry," She told him. "They'll listen to you."

Echo looked back at her, still unsure, but encouraged nonetheless. He nodded.

xxx

Onra didn't know how long she had been walking. She knew one thing for sure: she was hopelessly lost. Nothing looked familiar anymore.

There was talk in the forest of a haven where she could rest. An old Creeper had been the one to tell her. He seemed trustworthy enough.

Onra wasn't like other Enders. She couldn't teleport. She didn't mind, though. Her legs were strong, and had carried her many miles in her lifetime. However, no matter their strength, they were getting tired now.

" _Welcome!_ "

She started, looking in the direction of the voice. A spider clung to a nearby tree, wearing a strange white mark on its back.

" _Hello,_ " She replied.

" _Welcome, welcome, welcome._ " The Spider repeated. " _Welcome to safe place!_ "

At that word, the Ender's spirits lifted. Had she finally arrived?

She followed the Spider as it repeated its greeting. Spiders weren't the most intelligent mobs, but this one was certainly friendly.

Onra couldn't help but smile when she caught sight of the haven. So it _was_ true. Odd structures dotted the clearing, sheltering several other mobs. The Spider scuttled ahead, leaving her to admire the scene. A few Creepers wandered about, though none of them showed any sign of aggression. There were Slimes, and even a Snow Golem lounging in the shade.

At first, she had thought this place was pure rumor. But now, she saw it with her own eyes. The wood mountain, the strange shelters, and an abundance of food.

Ender made her way down to join them, hoping it wasn't a dream.

xxx

Echo watched over the other mobs while Hannah tended to her flowers. Every so often, mobs would bring them as a gift in return for the hospitality. Uriah had chose not to go to the fields today, staying at the house instead to help Hannah.

It was hard to stay focused in the middle of mating season, but the new responsibility gave him something to do to keep his mind off it. The pull was stronger than ever now that he was nearing the prime of his life. Most Enders nearing twenty years had already produced at least two children.

Echo shook his head. He had to stay focused. He had a job to do now, and Hannah was counting on him.

xxx

Onra couldn't believe what she was seeing.

At first, she had thought she had been imagining the scent. She was miles from Ender territory, and, as far as she knew, there were no suitable dens in this entire forest. How was she detecting Ender pheromones in this wasteland?

Her answer stood only a little ways off.

An Enderman. Why was he here? He obviously didn't have a mate. Onra had picked up his scent almost three miles back. Perhaps he was an outcast like her.

She crooned softly, hoping to get his attention.

xxx

Echo froze.

It was a sound he had never heard before, but his instinct knew exactly what it meant.

There was a female Ender nearby.

Forgetting his previous occupation, he looked around. Had he imagined it? No. Now that he was aware, he noticed her scent.

Finally, he caught sight of her. Echo hadn't seen another Ender since his encounter with the Pureblood. He was wary, but curious. What was she doing here, so far from Ender territory, during mating season?

The female glanced back at him shyly from behind the Spider shelter. Echo had only seen a handful of Ender Women up close, all of whom were larger than their mates. This one, however, was quite small compared to them. Echo guessed it was because she was still young. Fifteen, perhaps.

Echo hadn't ever prepared for something like this. It had been hard enough to ignore his instinct pulling him back towards Ender territory this time of year. How was he supposed to avoid this? The scales were suddenly tipped, and his willpower was at a dangerous tipping point against instinct.

She started towards him, and Echo's mind raced to find a solution.

xxx

"Uh-oh," Uriah murmured. Hannah straightened up, following his gaze. For a minute, she didn't see what he was referring to.

"What is it-oh…"

There was another Ender.

It appeared to be a female. Odd, since most of them were supposed to be In Ender territory this time of year. Echo was the only exception that Hannah knew of.

Speaking of, Echo seemed distressed. He watched the other Ender intently, but didn't move towards her. Hannah stayed quiet, motioning for Uriah to do the same. She was curious to see how this played out.

xxx

She was right in front of him, now, but kept a respectful distance. Echo knew what she was probably thinking. Since he had never mated, his body had started producing pheromones overtime. She must have caught his scent and thought he was desperate.

Wanting to avoid that misunderstanding at all costs, Echo decided to greet her like he had any of the other mobs that had arrived.

" _Welcome,_ " he said in Ender-speak. " _Safe place here._ "

She seemed confused. Obviously. Still, she tried to cover it up.

" _Much thanks._ " She replied. " _Long travel._ "

So she had come a long ways, then. Echo gathered and stored as many observations as he could, hoping it might do something to keep himself under control.

" _Name?_ " He requested, feeling awkward. It was his job to keep track of who came in and out.

She tilted her head, but didn't refuse him an answer.

" _Onra-Rei_."

Onra. It was a common name among Northern Enders. Echo motioned to himself, returning the introduction.

" _Echo-Yves._ "

Onra wasn't sure how to respond after that. This wasn't normal Ender courting. Echo hoped she got the message that he wasn't looking for a mate. However, his scent had already indicated otherwise.

xxx

"She's into him." Hannah concluded, speaking quietly.

"And it doesn't really look like he feels the same." Uriah added. It was true. Echo looked extremely uncomfortable communicating with the female.

"I'll go rescue him, then." Hannah joked, getting up. Uriah rolled his eyes, getting back to the flowers. He knew she would be careful.

xxx

A wave of relief washed over Echo as he saw Hannah approaching.

"Hi, sweetie!" She said kindly to Onra. Onra took a half step back, unsure of Echo's human companion.

"You look tired." Hannah continued, not caring that the newcomer didn't understand her. "Why don't you come get some food, and I'll set you up a place to sleep?"

" _She gives food._ " Echo translated. Onra was interested at that. Still, she was surprised when Hannah grabbed her hand. Panicked, she looked at Echo.

" _Go._ " He told her. " _She gives food, and rest place._ "

Hannah dragged off the reluctant Ender. Having Echo around to assure the mobs allowed her to be more up front with them. Echo sighed.

"Girl trouble?"

It was Uriah. Echo felt himself warming up, embarrassed. Uriah chuckled.

"Don't worry. She'll probably leave in a few days. Just don't get yourself into any trouble."

" _That will be harder than it sounds._ " Echo sighed.

xxx

Though he had successfully switched over to a daytime routine, Echo still had nights where he found himself awake, needing something to do. Of course, this had to be one of those nights.

The Ender teleported to the garden, hoping that the scent of fruit would mask his own.

Of course, his hope was in vain.

In a matter of minutes, Onra was there. Echo stiffened. Why had he come out here? Of course she would have found him.

Finally looking at her, a startling realization crossed his mind.

He had never decided he _didn't_ want a mate.

Onra didn't say anything as she moved closer, still hesitant. Echo didn't protest, but now he was beginning to understand what he was feeling. He hadn't avoided Ender territory because he didn't want a mate. He simply didn't want to be rejected by his own kind. Onra was obviously different from them, though. She didn't seem to care that he wasn't like the others.

Lost in his thoughts, Echo hadn't noticed how close she was.

He blinked, shifting away from her. Onra backed away quickly, lowering her head in submission.

Echo drew in a long breath, softening his gaze.

" _Hello,_ " He said quietly. She fidgeted.

" _Hello._ "

There was silence for a minute, and Echo was beginning to consider teleporting away. No. Hannah would want him to be polite.

" _What need?_ " He asked, trying to be professional. She looked up, finally meeting his gaze. Her indigo eyes were pleading.

" _Need mate,_ " She said. Echo regretted asking that question. When he didn't reply, Onra began to panic, sure the reason he wanted nothing to do with her was because she was an outcast.

" _Can't teleport,_ " She said, " _But still good! Please…_ "

She was holding onto him now, and Echo realized she was desperate. An outcast, much like himself, just looking for a way to survive.

She was lonely.

xxx

Onra was no longer in control. Instinct had taken over. This could be her only chance...

Crooning softly, she found herself pressing closer. Echo didn't respond.

His scent was strong. Onra took it in, the tip of her nose grazing his neck. He shifted away. Instantly, she drew back, realizing she had broken a boundary. Warmth rushed to her face, and she lowered it again.

What was she doing wrong? This was custom. But she was an outcast. He knew that.

It was time to accept that she would never have a mate.

xxx

Echo's heart was pounding, sending hot blood throughout his body. Taking a minute to breathe, he noticed that Onra had lowered her head again.

A drop of water fell on the grass between them.

Echo sighed. He hadn't meant to hurt her. She didn't understand. Echo didn't care that Onra was an outcast, he simply wasn't sure that he wanted a mate. Of course, his instinct begged to take her as his own, but he was still unsure. He didn't want his instinct to drive his decisions, like some mindless beast. He needed time to think.

He reached out, gently lifting her face to meet his gaze again. The movement dislodged another tear. Poor girl, she must had seen many lonely nights.

" _You are good._ " He assured her. " _Wait._ "

Onra stared back for a moment, trying to comprehend his words. Echo wished he could explain further, but he knew that he couldn't stay with her any longer. His instinct was already stirring again.

He teleported back to the house.

xxx

Hannah was in the kitchen when he arrived.

"Hey there," She greeted, yawning. "I was wondering where you went off to. Can't sleep?"

He shook his head.

"Me neither. I was just coming down here for a snack. Hungry?"

" _A little._ " He replied, still thinking about Onra. He almost didn't catch the bread Hannah tossed at him. She watched in silence as he nibbled at it absentmindedly. The Ender wasn't usually this distant.

"You seem stressed." She commented. "Is it because of Onra?"

He nodded a little, embarrassed. Hannah smiled gently.

"I understand. You haven't exactly had the best experience with other Enders, have you?"

He shook his head again, not feeling like talking at the moment.

"Well, if you want to talk about it, just come get me." She told him. "I'm going to bed now. Goodnight."

" _Goodnight._ "

Once she was out of earshot, the Ender sighed again. It had been a day full of sighs. Confusion, frustration, and strange feelings he wasn't sure what to do with.

Only time would tell how this would all unravel.


	17. Growing Pains

**A/N: Hey, everybody! Sorry this chapter took so long... I've been stuck between bouts of writer's block (and, admittedly, a little laziness). Anyway, just a warning, this is a bit of a sad chapter. I'll try to get to work more efficiently on the next one so you don't have to be left with a kick in the feels! Thanks for all the support and reviews! :)**

 **-Wonder**

XXX

 **Chapter 16: Growing Pains**

The next few weeks passed in a mess of awkward encounters with Onra and mixed feelings. It would take time to get it all sorted out. For the time being, Onra seemed to be starting to understand why Echo acted strangely towards her. Meanwhile, Echo was beginning to wonder whether he would ever escape his confusion.

It was the best and worst possible time for things to start changing.

Hannah was sick. Very sick. Echo quickly forgot Onra when he realized something was wrong. Hannah refused to eat, or even get out of bed. Uriah was worried. Why wouldn't he be? They were mates, after all.

xxx

Three days. Hannah had been bedridden for three whole days.

The mobs outside were getting restless without her. Already, a few of them had raided the food supply looking for their daily rations. Echo was doing his best to keep them under control, but it wasn't enough.

Uriah had to take on Hannah's duties, adding to his already heavy load. The crops needed tending, and so did the other animals. Especially the cattle, who needed extra care now that their young had arrived.

He was exhausted. This work was too much for just the two of them, let alone just one. Even with Echo's help, there was still so much to do.

Lack of sleep was making Uriah irritable. He snapped at Echo, and began to neglect the other mobs. He had never wanted them here, anyway. Why should he take care of them?

xxx

Echo wasn't surprised that Uriah was acting this way. Though he tolerated having the mobs around, he wasn't partial to them. Echo himself wasn't sure that he was any exception.

It was evening again. Echo came in late after finally getting the other mobs to settle down. Uriah wasn't back yet.

Echo quietly got himself something to eat, then went upstairs to check on Hannah. She was quiet when he came in. Asleep again. Knowing better than to wake her, Echo fetched her more water, being careful not to get any on himself. As he was about to leave the room, a quiet whimper made him stop.

She was crying.

Unsure what to do, Echo stayed where he was. Hannah opened one eye halfway, seeing him there.

"... Echo…"

" _I am here,_ " He answered, kneeling on the floor next to her. She sniffed, one hand coming up weakly to rub away a tear.

"... It's so cold," She whispered groggily. Echo frowned. How could she be cold? There was a fire going downstairs, and she had several blankets covering her.

" _You still have a fever._ " He concluded, remembering what Uriah had been talking about earlier. Illness in humans could cause their senses to become confused.

Hannah mumbled something inaudible, closing her eyes again. Echo started to get up again.

"Don't go…"

Echo hesitated again, looking back at her, then to the open door. He didn't want to get in trouble with Uriah, especially now that he was so stressed.

" _I must,_ " Echo told her gently, " _Uriah…_ "

"He's too busy." Hannah mumbled. "I've been alone all day… please…"

Echo sighed, glancing once again at the door. He closed it.

The Ender sat on the floor by the bed, his hand finding Hannah's in the darkness. It was clammy, unlike the aguey heat that radiated from the rest of her.

"I'm sorry…" She sniffed, her voice rough. "... About Uriah.. I know he hasn't been nice…"

Echo didn't reply.

"I wish I wasn't so sick… so I could take care of you all…"

" _It's all right,_ " He said quietly. " _We are doing fine._ "

Hannah sighed. It was clear she cared for them. She was like a mother. It was one of the reasons Echo loved her.

It had taken some time to figure it out, but he finally understood the feeling. He loved Hannah. However, it wasn't a love that fit any of the definitions he knew. She was like a mother, but the feeling wasn't what Echo had shared with Alirach in the fleeting days she had cared for him. It was lasting, and strong. More like that which he might share with a mate. But of course, she wasn't his mate. She never would be. Yet the feeling remained. He loved her. He wanted to protect her.

It felt good to know she felt the same.

xxx

Echo hadn't realized he had fallen asleep until he was violently awoken.

" _Echo!_ You blasted pervert!"

The Ender yelped as he was pulled upright only to be thrown back down again. He blinked a few times, sleep still clouding his vision. Daylight streamed in from the open window, casting his attacker's shadow over him.

Uriah.

His eyes were ice cold, staring down with pure hatred. Hannah stirred.

"Uri..?"

Uriah didn't hear her.

" _Get out!_ " He snarled. Echo's heart raced. He scrambled backward, shrinking away as Uriah came within striking distance. He wasn't quick enough.

The sting of pain came before Echo even realize he had been hit.

"Uriah!" Hannah shouted, her voice still weak from illness. "What are you doing?!"

Again, he ignored her. His eyes shot daggers at Echo.

"You _better_ not have done anything to her!" He snapped, shoving the Ender backwards into the hall with a kick. Echo gave a panicked cry, staying low. Though he could easily fight Uriah and win, he knew best not to. Even his instinct told him to run. Uriah was the dominant male, not to be challenged.

He teleported.

xxx

Onra could see the pain in Echo's eyes. She didn't hesitate to let him in.

Usually, Echo avoided her little shelter. Mostly for the sake of establishing their neutral relationship. He wasn't ready for a mate, and she had come to accept that. He wasn't here t court. Not yet, at least. No, there was only one reason he could be here now...

He was here to hide.

xxx

Echo sat quietly as Onra tended to the cut on his face. She didn't ask what had happened, which he was grateful for. He hissed quietly at the prickle of pain. Onra hesitated.

" _Not hurt._ " He assured her.

" _Sorry,_ " she murmured anyway, resuming her work. Echo closed his eyes, ignoring the faint throbbing in his jaw. Uriah was strong, and hadn't hesitated to strike at full force. It would take a long time for the bruise to heal.

Echo couldn't help but feel dejected. That was it. He had lost his last chance with Uriah. Sure, he had been accepted for a while, but Uriah still watched him. There were still boundaries, and the Ender had just crossed way over one of the most important ones.

Hannah belonged to Uriah. He was her first protector.

Echo decided he would depart quickly and quietly. He would go South. Perhaps he would be able to find a den in that area. Onra would most likely follow him. She would be his only company, in that case. Perhaps, then, he would consider taking her as a mate. He didn't want to be all alone again.

xxx

Onra insisted that he stay put for the day. And while Echo was anxious to disappear, he agreed that a little rest might do him good. As long as Uriah didn't come looking for him.

Echo hid away in the clearing near the garden while Onra took up his job of checking on the other mobs. He tried to sleep, hoping to make his exit by night. However, sleep never came. Instead, there came footsteps through the grass…

"I thought I might find you here."

Echo looked up. Hannah looked exhausted. She was still sick, no doubt.

" _You should be resting._ " He said, hoping she would go away. Talking to her now would only make him miss her more once he left.

"I'm doing fine." She told him. "Did Uriah hurt you?"

He shook his head. Hannah sighed.

"I'm so sorry, Echo…"

" _It was not your fault._ " He said quietly. " _He was only protecting what is his._ "

"Protecting what is his..?" Hannah repeated, giving him a funny look. "... Echo, what do you think my relationship is to Uriah?"

" _You are mates._ " He answered, not wanting to be reminded. He already knew the boundaries he had crossed. However, he was surprised to see Hannah smile, then start to laugh.

The Ender stared at her, confused. What was so funny? Hannah took a moment to catch her breath, shaking her head.

"How long have you thought that?" She giggled. "Echo, Uriah is my _brother._ "

The Ender was quiet, staring in bewilderment.

Brother?

It took a moment to process this. Hannah had explained siblings to him, as Enders tended not to have them.

"Uriah's my big brother," She told him. "He's protective, but we're _definitely_ not mates."

It was hard to believe they weren't mates. Perhaps…

No. This changed nothing.

"...Echo?"

Echo looked away. He couldn't face her any longer. It didn't matter if they were siblings, and not mates. Uriah was still the dominant one, and he wouldn't be very forgiving for this. He still had to leave.

" _I'm sorry._ " He said quietly. " _I should leave._ "

Hannah's brow furrowed, she frowned. "Why?"

" _Uriah is angry. He does not want me here anymore._ "

Hannah was quiet, unsure how to respond. They both knew Uriah was upset, and neither of them could say for sure if there was a chance he would allow the Ender to stay after that.

"But _I_ want you here, doesn't that matter?" Hannah asked. Echo looked back at her, surprised to find sadness in her eyes. Quickly, he looked away again. He couldn't hurt her anymore.

" _Uriah is strong._ " He said. " _He will not allow it. I should go._ "

Hannah was quiet again. She knew it was true. When her brother had his mind set on something, there was little she could do to change it.

"Even so…" She said, "... Please don't leave.."

Echo shook his head. He was done talking about it. He couldn't bear it.

It was time to say goodbye.

xxx

Uriah was quiet at dinner. Hannah could feel his tension.

"If you're going to say something, do it now." He grunted. She fidgeted. It had been a long time since he had last been like this. She had been too young to stand up to him then. Would she be able to do it now?

There was only one way to find out.

Taking a deep breath, she braced for what could be a heated argument.

"I want you to give Echo another chance."

The silence was worse than anything he could have said in retort. He set his fork down.

"I've given him plenty of chances." He replied calmly. "What he did was unacceptable."

"But―"

"I'm not going to argue with you about this, Hannah."

"Would you let me finish?" She snapped. Uriah raised an eyebrow. She sighed, collecting herself.

"It was my fault, okay?" She said. "I told him to stay with me."

Uriah was unconvinced. He started to reply, but Hannah stopped him.

"I've never lied to you, Uri." She reminded him. "And I never will. You know that. I told Echo to stay with me last night. You've been busy with chores, and I didn't have anyone else to keep me company. And I have to say, I'm offended you would think I would let him do anything weird!"

Uriah's hard expression began to fade. Hannah was serious, now, continuing.

"I've taught Echo well, and he would know better than to do something like that. He didn't even make a move on Onra! I'm sure you know he's better natured than that. All this time, he's been trying to prove himself to you, but the way you treat him makes me think you just want to get rid of him!"

"And what if I do?"

Hannah stared at him, shocked. Uriah remained impassive.

"When we came out here, we did it so we could escape the masses." He continued. "And now that we're finally out here all on our own, you're gathering up masses of mobs! I was fine with the animals, but this has gone too far. Starting with Echo, I want you to get rid of them."

"No!" Hannah shot to her feet, defiant. Uriah didn't back down.

"Hannah, I've put up with this long enough. Tell them to leave, or I'll do it myself."

"Why are you doing this?" She asked, hurt. She loved the mobs dearly, especially Echo.

Suddenly, it made sense.

"You're jealous of them," Hannah realized. She could tell it was true by the way his expression changed. He became defensive.

"I'm not jealous." He said firmly. Hannah could tell he was denying it, though.

"You are!" She insisted. "You're jealous that I'm spending more time with them, and paying more attention to them, and…"

She trailed off.

"... And loving them more." Uriah finished for her. He spoke softly now. Hannah slowly sat back down. The sudden realization was sinking in. Why he was so hostile toward the mobs. Why he had never fully accepted Echo. This was the reason behind it.

How had this happened?

Ever since they were young, Hannah had followed her big brother with unquestioning devotion. She depended on him, especially after they left home to live on their own. It hadn't occurred to her that he was depending on _her_ all that time, too. Her support was what kept him going when he didn't feel strong.

And now she was giving it to something else.

She hadn't meant to do this. She hadn't even realized it until now. Her invincible big brother was hurt―by her. Uriah was jealous, but also sad. They were adults, now. Both of them knew they would grow apart eventually. But it shouldn't have happened this way.

"... I'm going upstairs." Uriah sighed, leaving his half-finished meal behind. Hannah said nothing as he went past, still in a daze.

 _When did everything start falling apart?_ She wondered. _And how am I supposed to put it back together?_


	18. Last Chance

**Chapter 17: Last Chance**

Uriah spent the day in the fields. He knew Hannah needed time to think. They both did.

Where had things started unraveling? Uriah searched for an answer among the sugarcane rows, pondering the recent events as he moved on to the newly planted orchard.

Uriah didn't know the reason for anything anymore. It was all a mess. He had promised his parents that he would take care of his sister. Be her protector. He loved her dearly, but he had never imagined himself to be the jealous type. Was he really that dependent on her?

As he continued to think, he realized it was true. He depended on Hannah. Her childish joy uplifted him, though he had only just noticed it. They were siblings, connected. But at the same time, they were adults, and could drift apart at any moment. Neither of them wanted that, though.

Uriah was so different from his sister. She was carefree, courageous, and open-minded, while he was cautious, protective, and hesitant. This rift between them had grown in the past year or so. It had started with Shep. Then Echo. Risks that Hannah believed were worth taking, while Uriah was unsure. He didn't want her to get hurt, even though she had proven time and time again that she could take care of herself. Perhaps a part of him still wanted to be the big brother, watching over her and telling her what things were safe and unsafe to do. There was a time, long ago, that she had hung on his every word.

" _Be careful around the fire."_

" _Okay, Uri."_

" _Stay away from the caves."_

" _Okay, Uri."_

" _Trust me."_

" _Okay, Uri."_

But Hannah wasn't a little girl anymore. She knew the danger, and her heart found a reason worth taking the risk. The living creatures of this world were a wonder to her. The animals had been her comfort after the loss of her dear friend Mitzi, and Uriah knew that moving out into the forest had been the best for her. He had only ever wanted the best for her.

What if HUGS was the best for her, now?

There were so many mixed feelings. Uriah wanted to protect his sister, but at the same time he wanted her to be happy. The mobs made her happy. But as long as they were around, it felt like she didn't notice her brother.

Could that be what this was all about? His pride? Of all the things he had thought might tear them apart, himself was the last. Uriah sighed, sitting down in the grass.

 _Has it been me all along?_ He wondered. _All I wanted was to be her protector. The big brother…_

But those days were gone, now. Hannah was making her own decisions. Just as their father had, Uriah would have to let go of her. He wasn't in control anymore. He never should have been.

It was time to face the new reality.

xxx

Hannah's mind was blank. She had thought too long already.

Echo hadn't come in for breakfast, which meant he had probably already left. Onra most likely went after him.

Everything was a mess. It felt like she was drifting in the ocean, surrounded by chaotic waves with no idea of which direction to go. The mobs had become her life. It was only now that she realized that this had severed her relationship with her brother. It hurt, too. It hurt so much.

Just as Uriah was torn between his logical and emotional sides, Hannah found herself torn between her past and future. She had grown up following Uriah. It was the only life she had ever known. She hadn't been afraid to leave home, because she knew her big brother would take care of her. She trusted that he knew best, and followed his every instruction. But now that they were older, their personalities were beginning to clash. Her heart longed to care for the mobs, but her mind saw that Uriah didn't approve of it. Her mind said listen to him. He had kept her safe all these years. But her heart said to follow her own path. She was an adult now. She knew what she was getting herself into, and she was prepared.

But was she, really?

Hannah didn't want to leave the life she had always known. She didn't want to leave her brother. But now that she was grown, there were other things she wanted, too. She wanted adventure. She wanted to take risks. She wanted the mobs, and HUGS.

It was time to make one of the most difficult decisions of her life.

xxx

Meanwhile, Onra was out of breath. She had expected tracking Echo would be easy. She had been very wrong.

Echo's scent was faint, and seemed to get farther away the more she moved towards it. She finally stopped, catching her breath. As she exhaled, she hissed, frustrated.

Where was he now that they needed him most?

xxx

Echo didn't know how long he had been travelling. He didn't care. The only thing he knew was the direction he was going. South. Always South. Farther and farther away from HUGS, and closer and closer to the wasteland ahead. It didn't matter, though. Nothing mattered anymore.

He was on his own again.

xxx

Onra couldn't go on. Her legs were weak. On the edge of the forest, she found herself collapsing. It wasn't natural for and Ender to travel this far on foot, especially at the speed she had gone. Fast, running, hoping to catch up to him.

The scent was gone, now.

Onra gritted her teeth, frustrated. Why did he have to run off, and leave the others in chaos? And when she had tried to catch up to him, he stayed just out of her reach. Now she was lost. Again.

The Ender blinked away the tears that welled in her eyes. No, crying wouldn't help anything. She sat up on her knees, wondering what else she could possibly do. But the more she thought, the more her mind came up empty. Despair shook her. Unable to think anymore, she let her instinct take hold.

She threw back her head, and wailed a final cry for help.

xxx

Being normally silent creatures, one wouldn't expect their calls to travel so far. Miles away, a traveler stopped to listen. No doubt about it. Somewhere to the North, an Ender had become desperate. The long, low howl of a female ready to give up.

 _Help. My family is in danger._

The traveler, who went by the name of Sylas, hesitated. Though he was not from this region, he was not one to deny another his aid. Perhaps he could divert from his journey just long enough to see what was the matter…

Just as he was about to set off in that direction, another call sounded. This time more to the South. A male had heard her call, returning it with a strong, insistent cry.

 _Don't give up yet. I'm coming to help._

Sylas allowed himself to relax a bit. \the situation was being taken care of. Still, he wondered what might have been going on. Nonetheless, he had to continue on his journey. After all, it was best not to meddle in the affairs of Ender families.

xxx

Echo didn't hesitate to turn around. That was Onra's cry.

Immediately, he answered her call, hoping she wouldn't give up just yet. From the sound of her howl, she was desperate. Enough to call upon the help of anyone who heard her.

HUGS was in danger.

Without a second thought, the Ender sprinted back the way he had come, disappearing in a burst of purple sparks.

xxx

The howl was broken. Onra's voice caught, and the tears came again. Would anyone hear an outcast Ender's cry? Would anyone care? Slumping back down, she let the tears fall. Why did she bother calling to the wind?

Then, a distant sound.

Onra's head snapped up, ears perked.

A call. A reply.

Echo.

xxx

In a matter of moments, he found her. It was the fastest he had ever traveled.

Onra's eyes lit up when he appeared. In a mix of relief and anguish, she leapt to her feet, nearly knocking him over in her embrace.

" _Thank you,_ " She said, backing away.

" _What happen?_ " He asked, concerned. Onra could see it in his eyes. HUGS was where he belonged. Even after he had been rejected, he didn't hesitate to come when he was called back.

" _The others._ " She explained, " _Must come back. Much fighting._ "

HUGS was in chaos. Echo had been the peacekeeper. How careless he had been!

" _Come._ " He told her. " _Must hurry._ "

" _Wait,_ " She said, grabbing his hand. Her gaze fell. "... _Can't teleport._ "

Echo looked at her for a minute, seeing her dilemma. She had come a long way, and all on foot. Certainly, she was too weary to run back the way she had come. Echo brushed a loose strand of hair form her face, tilting her head up to meet his gaze.

" _It's okay._ " He assured her. " _Thank you._ "

Onra's eyes shimmered, blinking.

" _Come._ " He said again, putting an arm around her shoulder and pulling her to his side. " _We go together._ "

xxx

Sparks. A burst of violet light that turned white the instant her eyes caught it. The sound of wind rushed past, yet nothing stirred. It was hard to see and hear. Onra held onto the one solid thing she could find. Echo didn't let go of her.

It was over as soon as it had begun. The light faded, and the sparks dwindled. Onra's heart raced, and her insides felt like they were in the wrong places. She gripped Echo's arm, waiting for her legs to work again.

Beside her, Echo took a moment to catch his breath. The pearl in his chest was hot again, and his heart pounded from the exertion. He had never attempted to bring another with him in teleporting. At the same time, he had never gone so far.

HUGS was already in sight.

xxx

Not taking time to question how they had made it in one jump, Onra and Echo took to their feet and headed towards the shelters.

It was just as Onra had said.

Gideon and Skipper were in over their heads. Creepers hissed, threatening to explode. Spiders raced about madly, searching for something to bite. The Slimes grouped up, defending themselves, and the visiting Snow Golem was having a grand time adding to the chaos.

Onra looked to Echo, wondering what he would do. He seemed surprisingly calm.

His roar rang out like thunder.

In an instant, there was silence. All of them knew an Ender's roar. The sound that struck fear into prey and trespasser. The sound of doom.

Echo walked into the clearing. The others backed away.

" _Now I know how selfish I was to leave you all behind._ " He said to himself. Then, in Ender-Speak, he addressed the others;

" _Why fighting?_ "

He looked at them, but none met his gaze. No one answered. There was no good reason. Echo sighed, looking back at Onra. She too was silent.

" _Go to shelters._ " He told the others. " _I speak with Master._ "

There was a low murmuring as the group dispersed. Some of them would have to leave today. Onra came back to his side.

" _Master?_ " She inquired. He didn't stay to explain.

xxx

Uriah had returned to the house a few hours ago. However, neither him nor Hannah had noticed teh brawl going on outside. Not until the sound of an Ender's roar made them turn.

Hannah darted to the back door, looking out.

"It's Echo," She reported, sounding surprised.

"What's going on out there?" Uriah asked. The last time he had heard Echo's roar had been the encounter with the feral Ender.

"There must have been a fight." She concluded. "He's sending the other mobs to the shelters."

"Good." Uriah muttered. "Now I can talk to him alone."

"Uri―"

He hesitated.

"... Please…"

Without a reply, Uriah walked out the door.

xxx

Uriah himself wasn't sure what would happen. After having some time to think, he realized he had been harsh. Though that didn't mean he wanted the Ender to stay. Part of him still wanted to get rid of the mobs. It seemed that since they had arrived, he and Hannah had clashed more.

Echo saw him coming. Uriah was surprised to see him kneel.

"Echo..."

" _Forgive me, Master Uriah._ "

Now this was new. Uriah wasn't sure how to respond. Was the Ender just trying to flatter him? No, he wasn't that way.

"Echo, what are you doing?" He finally asked, looking down at the Ender. It felt strange to be taller than him. Keeping his head lowered, Echo replied,

" _I know you do not want me here anymore._ " He said quietly. " _But I cannot leave. Please, let me stay and serve you._ "

"What's going on?"

Hannah. Why couldn't she just stay in one place? Uriah sighed. This was going to be hard.

"I don't know, Echo."

xxx

That stung more than any direct reply he could have given. Echo swallowed, desperate. Onra watched from a distance.

" _I care for Hannah._ " He finally admitted, continuing before Uriah could question his meaning in that statement. " _To prove my respect to both of you, I will serve you as Master and Mistress._ "

There was something new established in that statement. He loved Hannah, but she was not his. She was not mother, and she was not mate, either. She was Mistress.

The bonds of family and affection were broken. It hurt, but it was what had to be done if the Ender had any hope of staying.

xxx

Hannah's heart broke at the Ender's words. She knew what he was doing. He was detaching himself from her. As soon as he had stated his sentiment for her, he had cut their bond. He was willing to become her servant―slave, even―to be able to stay by her side. He was willing to do anything, even if it meant making their relationship strict.

Uriah was quiet for a long time. He glanced at Hannah, then sighed.

"This is your last chance, Echo." He finally said. "Don't disappoint me."

" _I will not let you down, Master._ "


	19. Letting Go

**Chapter 18: Letting Go**

Echo took his new position very seriously. He didn't even sleep in the house anymore, but instead moved into a new shelter next to Onra's. He worked hard, waking up early and staying up late to make sure the other mobs stayed under control. As Echo had warned them, Uriah learned about the small war that had taken place. And, as the Ender had predicted, about half a dozen mobs were told to leave, and would only be allowed back if they agreed to keep the peace.

Hannah decided it was time to make things a little more organized. The open shelters became fully enclosed buildings, which she called houses. Skipper was placed in charge of the Spider house, and Gideon was made foster Alpha of the Creeper pack. Echo was the head supervisor, and also served as translator between the mobs and the humans. Though he had an elevated position, he knew best to stay humble. He didn't want to risk anything, now. Not with his last chance.

Of course, his self discipline was bound to be tested sooner or later. And who better to test it than the last creature anyone expected to see return to HUGS…

xxx

Festas.

Echo was on edge the moment he caught the banished Pureblood's scent. What was he doing so close to here? Though he was still a ways off, Echo's mind was racing to figure out how to avoid another confrontation with the Pureblood.

Onra could sense it, too. Though she wasn't sure what Echo was so anxious about. Usually, he was happy to have another mob visit HUGS, knowing how much it meant to Hannah that those in need were taken care of.

So, she went to meet the newcomer herself.

xxx

Onra was surprised that Echo hadn't noticed she had left. He was so occupied that he couldn't seem to focus on anything. She brushed the thought away, concentrating on tracking the scent.

Having never encountered a Pureblood before, Onra had no idea what she was getting herself into. She was determined to make Hannah proud by helping.

xxx

This was the last place Festas wanted to be. He was in another Ender's territory, and he knew all too well who it belonged to.

Since his encounter with Echo, the Pureblood had collected many new scars. He had given up trying to fight his way into a den. The Overworlders were stronger than he had first believed. If he was going to survive, he had to make an alliance. It wasn't going to be easy, considering his pride. But he was desperate, now.

Festas didn't know the first thing about survival. All he knew was that he needed shelter. He needed someone to show him how to hunt properly.

And he needed a mate.

He had learned quickly that there were rules in Ender territory. He couldn't take just any female. There was a certain time and place for courtship. Some of his new scars had come from being rejected.

Here, outside of Ender territory, the rules seemed a little more relaxed. Festas hoped that he could make peace with the Overworlder who had refused to fight him. He was the only one who had shown even a small amount of mercy to Festas. All the others he had encountered wouldn't have hesitated to tear him apart.

There was one other thing, too, though. There was a female here. Festas had picked up on her pheromones a ways back, meaning she must be desperate, too. However, he didn't want to risk making a move before he was certain she didn't belong to the dominant Overworlder.

xxx

Onra was gone.

Where was she? The Pureblood wasn't close enough to have attacked her. Echo suddenly forgot his concerns about another encounter. He had to find Onra. With the Pureblood so close, she could be in danger.

"Is something wrong, Echo?"

The Ender jumped, startled. He hadn't noticed Hannah walk up.

"Sorry," She said. "You okay?"

Echo sighed, looking back in the direction from where the Pureblood's scent came.

" _There is an Ender nearby._ " He told her. " _I think it is the same one that attacked Master Uriah. And Onra has gone missing._ "

Hannah gasped, already starting to looked panicked.

" _I will go after her._ " Echo said quickly. " _It is my job to protect her and the others._ "

"... Are you sure you should go alone? I could come with you… "

" _I can't let you do that._ " He said. " _For Master Uriah. He would be angry if I allowed you to come._ "

Hannah was quiet for a moment, then looked at the ground.

"I guess you're right." She said. "... But be careful, okay?"

" _Of course, Mistress._ "

xxx

She was close now. He could be only a few blocks away from her. Onra relied on her hearing, now, to try and pinpoint where the stranger was among the trees. There was a rustling nearby. She froze.

" _... Hello?_ "

Onra turned, facing the biggest Enderman she had ever seen in her life. For a second, she was silent, a little stunned by his sudden appearance. Finally, she looked down, remembering not to stare.

" _Hello,_ " She replied quietly, trying not to sound intimidated. When she had caught his scent, she had expected to find him wounded or hungry. She had expected someone in need of her help.

" _Who are you?_ " He finally asked. Onra fidgeted. He seemed strangely interested in her.

"... _Onra._ " She said. " _... I come from safe place, that way._ "

She pointed in the direction of HUGS. He took a glance, but his gaze turned back to her.

" _Are you Queen?_ "

xxx

She seemed surprised by the question. Festas suppressed the flicker of hope in his chest, waiting for her reply. Finally, she answered;

"... _No… not Queen. Outcast._ "

So she wasn't the Overworlder's mate. She wasn't a Queen. Not yet, at least. Festas was sure he could change that soon enough. However, he remained cautious. Though his instinct begged to just take her and leave, Festas knew better now. This Overworlder was a protector. Even though the female was not his mate, he likely still cared for her. If Festas ran off with her, the Overworlder would hunt him down for sure.

xxx

Echo caught up to the scent quickly. He found that he could teleport farther, now, though he still didn't know why. Ever since he had heard Onra's call in the wilderness, he had been feeling stronger. Strong enough to fight for his place in HUGS. Strong enough to let go of Hannah.

All too soon, the Ender's newfound strength would be tested again.

Suddenly, there she was. Onra jumped, surprised by Echo's sudden appearance.

She wasn't alone.

The spines on Echo's back twitched. How had he forgotten to pay attention to the Pureblood's scent?

Echo brought Onra behind him, keeping a careful eye on the Pureblood. He had more scars now, accompanying the one on his neck from when they last met.

"... _Overworlder…_ " The Pureblood said under his breath. Was it just his imagination, or did Echo see fear in his eyes? Even if it was, he wasn't going to take any chances.

" _Why back?_ " He demanded. The Pureblood almost flinched. He glanced past Echo, at Onra.

He was here for _her._

" _Echo,_ " Onra whispered, putting a hand on his arm. He looked at her from the corner of his eye, still wary of the other Enderman.

" _Not bad._ " She told him, referring to the Pureblood. Echo looked back at him. She didn't know what he had done. Yet… he did seem different.

" _What name?_ " Echo asked him.

" _Festas._ " The Pureblood replied.

Echo stared at him for a minute. Festas shifted, finally turning his gaze down. A sign of passivism. He wasn't here to fight.

" _Need help._ " Festas explained. " _Banished. No home. Can't hunt._ "

He was hopeless. Was that the cause of their fight? Festas was bitter from losing his home, and thought the easiest way to get a new one would be to fight his way in. Judging by his scars, he had learned his lesson.

Echo was silent for a long time, thinking. Onra squeezed his arm a little. He knew what she wanted. The same thing Hannah would want. Forgive, and welcome in.

But what would happen after that?

Echo had a pretty good guess as to what would result in letting the Pureblood come to HUGS. It was obvious he was willing to submit, so he wasn't worried about another fight. No, Festas was here to take something―some _one_ ―from Echo.

And Echo had no right to stop him.

xxx

Echo said nothing as he led the way back. Onra wondered what he was thinking. Obviously, he knew Festas. Judging by how he had stepped between them, they weren't exactly on good terms. Onra was glad he let Festas come with them anyway. Both of them knew that was the right choice.

But… if it was the right choice, then why did Echo seem so bothered by it?

As Onra had expected, Hannah was happy to have a new addition to HUGS, though she did seem a bit hesitant when she found out who it was. Uriah was more skeptical than usual, too. It seemed that Festas had created a reputation for himself with the humans.

Onra still didn't know what Festas had done to make the others doubt him, but she knew he wasn't here to cause trouble. He was lost. He was desperate.

And she was going to be the one to help him.

xxx

Over the span of the next few days, Echo kept a close eye on Festas. During the day, he took the Pureblood as far away from HUGS as possible to teach him how to hunt. Since the Pureblood wasn't used to being awake in the daytime, it gave Echo the upper hand if he decided to cause trouble.

But he never did.

Festas was surprisingly compliant. He submitted to Echo and kept quiet most of the time. He avoided the other mobs, which was helpful in preventing another brawl. Still, Echo didn't take any chances with him. The only time he wasn't watching the Pureblood's every move was at night, when Onra secretly took over.

xxx

She had been visiting him for six nights, now. Onra crept silently out of her shelter, turning towards the one that had been assigned to Festas. Before continuing, she glanced back in the opposite direction. Echo hadn't caught on to what she was doing. Not yet. For some reason, she didn't want him to find out. Her friendship with Festas seemed out of place, considering Echo and the humans seemed to have something against him. After getting time to know him, though, Onra knew for sure that he wasn't the Ender they suspected him to be.

" _Festas._ " She whispered, as loud as she dared. A moment passed, and Festas appeared in the doorway. Glancing about cautiously, he came to join her.

" _Hello._ " He greeted her quietly, offering a friendly nuzzle. She smiled.

" _Come,_ " He said softly, bringing her along as he started away. She didn't ask where they were going, only followed in silence.

The moonlight was dim here. Onra's eyes took a moment to adjust to the shadows. Festas was staring at her again. Why did he do that? It felt strange. She never told him to stop, though. Why was that?

It took her a minute to realize how close he was. She chirped, surprised.

" _Fest―?_ "

" _Onra._ "

She went quiet. What was he doing? He was so close….

xxx

Festas couldn't sit in silence any longer. Onra had chosen to spend time with him, which only made him want her more. At this point, he didn't care what Echo would do. He wanted her for himself. He _needed_ her.

She made no sound or movement as he hovered just inches away from her. She didn't protest when he nuzzled her jaw, purring.

" _Be my Queen,_ " He said, keeping his voice low. She was quiet, and Festas began to wonder if she was going to reject him. He wasn't going to give up on her that easily. He made a soft rumbling sound from the back of his throat, urging her to respond.

xxx

Onra's heart pounded, warmth spreading over her. Had she heard him right? Was he, a Pureblood, really asking an outcast like her to be his mate?

Without thinking, she began to purr. Festas looked up, his luminous magenta eyes still awaiting an answer. Onra took a moment to breathe.

"... _Yes._ "

xxx

Echo didn't speak when Onra came to him that morning. The world went silent as he was forced to accept this new reality.

Festas had claimed her as his mate.

Echo had seen it coming. Why hadn't he done anything about it? A part of him had wanted Onra, and now it would never be satisfied. He had been given his chance, and he hadn't taken it.

She was out of his hands, now.

" _Echo,_ "

He looked up. Onra was worried by his silence. He sighed. This is what she wanted. This is what she had wanted from the beginning. How could he take that away from her?

He couldn't.

" _Go._ " He finally said. Though she tried to hide it, he saw her happiness from the statement. He was letting her go. The one thing he had left, he was letting go. Festas had taken her.

Everything Echo had once held was gone. Everything but his place in HUGS.

That, he would never let go of.


	20. New Beginnings

**Chapter 19: New Beginnings**

 **A/N: So this one is kind of a short chapter, but the next one is on the way! Thank you so much, everyone, for the support and reviews! It really encourages me. :)**

 **God bless, and stay Wonderful!**

 **-Wonder**

XXX

Echo paced. Festas watched from where he sat near the den's entrance. He didn't seem concerned, which was what annoyed Echo.

The Pureblood had wasted no time settling down. Only hours after Echo had learned he had claimed Onra as his mate, the two left HUGS in search of a den. And Onra―sweet Onra―insisted that they stay as close to HUGS as possible. They settled just a mile or so South of the farm, in a small cave that had been recently abandoned. Over the time that passed, Onra came to visit on occasion. Sometimes, she dragged her mate along with her, though Festas was never eager to come. Hannah was always happy to see them, and, after having some time to accept it, Echo was happy too. Festas really had changed. He was a good mate for Onra.

A sharp cry broke his thoughts. Echo stopped pacing, looking worriedly towards the den. Festas didn't seem concerned. How could he be so passive about this? The baby was long overdue. Hannah had become so concerned that she insisted on coming to check on Onra daily.

Now, she was the only one in the den with Onra, tending to her as she struggled through the twelfth hour of labor.

xxx

The moon was rising when the den went silent.

Now, Festas finally stood. He and Echo listened, hoping to hear something that might indicate all was well. Hannah appeared at the entrance.

"You two are going to want to see this," She said, beckoning for them to come in.

As much as Echo wanted to see that Onra was alright, he let Festas go before him. He was her mate, after all.

He followed close behind the Pureblood, glancing at Hannah as he went past. She looked a bit tired, but excited. She smiled.

xxx

Onra was obviously exhausted, but her eyes lit up when she saw her mate. She chirped a greeting. He crooned in response, settling next to her and gazing at the bundle of cloth in her arms.

Hannah appeared with a second one, carefully passing it to Festas.

Two?

Twins.

Onra had given birth to twins.

xxx

News spread fast of the twin Enders. It was extremely rare for Enders to have more than one child at once. It was understandable that the rumors spread so quickly.

The traveler overheard a pack of Creepers whispering about it as he made his way through their territory. Some were certain twin Enders was a fulfillment of some prophecy, or was a sign that something was going to happen. Sylas wasn't the superstitious type, so he thought nothing of it. Though, he was curious. If twin Enders really had been born, it was something to be noted. However, there was no time to stop and debate whether or not the news was true. Sylas was constantly on the move between his home region and this one.

Should he ever cross paths with the fabled twins, perhaps he would give them a gift.

xxx

Hannah visited the den every day for a week after the twins were born, helping Onra get used to being a new mother. Feeding would be difficult, as both twins were constantly hungry. Echo helped as well, showing Festas what he needed to do to support his mate and children. The Pureblood would have to hunt more often, and handle the twins when Onra became too exhausted.

Echo's heart ached a bit as he saw how well Festas was doing. He was a protector now, too. He had proven that he truly loved his mate, and, admittedly, he was an amazing father. The way he looked at the twins, and how gently he held them proved that. Only a few weeks had passed before Festas took over the assisting role as father of the twins. Hannah and Echo were no longer needed, though they were allowed to come once a month to check on the new family.

It was a time of celebration. Echo wished he could feel happier for Onra. After all, she and Festas really were a good pair. They really were happy together. Echo saw all of this plainly.

Still, he knew it would be a long time before he could be truly happy for her, knowing that he was not a part of her new beginning.


	21. Rising Storm

**A/N: Hey everybody! Wow, I can't believe I'm almost done with this story. Just a few more chapters, and _Echoes from His Past_ will be all wrapped up! These next few chapters are going to be pretty crazy, though, so it might take a while for it to be fully completed. Also, you may have noticed that I changed the cover art for this story. I'm in the process of updating the cover art on all my stories, so its not just for this one. Anyway, please enjoy this next chapter! (Ill post the second part as soon as possible) :)**

 **God bless, and stay wonderful!**

 **-Wonder**

XXX

 **Chapter 20 (Part I): Rising Storm**

Time passed, and Echo noticed more Enders moving into the area after the twins were born. Perhaps they believed the two Ender children were a sign of good luck.

Some of the visiting Enders decided to stay at HUGS, giving up their isolated lifestyles and agreeing to live peacefully together.

Echo was surprised to discover that one of the new residents, an Ender by the name Ravyn, was much like himself. He had a soft heart, and was enthusiastic about the HUGS cause. Echo knew that Ravyn would the best choice to lead the Ender council, since Echo himself was far too busy tending to the others.

It was a bit late for Hannah and Uriah to realize that HUGS was growing considerably.

Overcrowding was a new problem, and Echo wasn't quite sure how to fix it. Hannah decided that the only solution was to build more mob houses. Uriah, however, was wary. It turned out that HUGS was technically illegal. Humans were not supposed to house hostile mobs without a permit. Echo didn't think he or the others were hostile. Was that what other humans thought of them? Did they think that all mobs were brainless monsters, knowing nothing but violence? Granted, some mobs were truly evil, but not those of HUGS. These mobs were rejected, lonely, orphaned, and misunderstood. Some were disabled, and came to HUGS to rely on the support of a pack. Some were old, and came to spend their last days in comfort.

Echo could no longer tell what Uriah thought about HUGS. Though he knew that it was against human law, he continued to help Hannah expand the farm. He doubled and tripled crops without complaint, and Hannah was happy.

Perhaps Uriah and Echo both just wanted her to be happy.

xxx

With more mobs came more problems to deal with every day. This one, however, could be truly damaging to HUGS.

There had been a close call between Gideon and another Creeper in the pack. Since Echo had not been around at the time, Hannah had been the one to break it up. However, the problem was that someone had been watching the whole time.

Another human. The one Hannah referred to as the Postman, Jeffery. He rarely came by the house, as there was little mail to be delivered to the middle of nowhere. And even if there was, it was usually left in the small box at the end of the long gravel path leading from the front gate to the narrow road that cut through the trees. Jeffery had seen the Creepers. He had seen Hannah break up what could have been a nasty fight.

He had seen the dangerous side of HUGS.

xxx

Echo stared at the papers left behind on the gravel path. Letters the Postman had dropped when he fled.

Earlier, the Ender had translated some bad news to the others. The letter that had been brought for Hannah and Uriah was a warning. HUGS was quite large now. It was no surprise that other humans had begun to notice things. Now, Hannah and Uriah had three days before the farm would be evaluated.

Meaning, if the mobs were found, they would be taken.

Taken, and most likely killed.

May, one of the young Creepers, called to Echo from the ground. He sighed, picking her up and setting her on his shoulder, like Hannah often did. The tiny orphaned Creeper had taken to her as a mother.

" _I do not know what is going to happen._ " The Ender admitted to her, knowing she wouldn't understand. " _... But it is not safe for us here right now._ "

xxx

Echo had a plan.

Uriah agreed, and let the Ender take over as he cared for Hannah, who had grown ill in her devastation. After all, she had just found out that her beloved mobs could be taken away. Her heart would be broken. Again.

Echo couldn't allow that to happen.

It was a rather devious plan, really. And, while Echo didn't like being sneaky, he knew this is what he would need to do if HUGS was to be saved.

They had to evacuate.

Ravyn and the other Enders were quite helpful in finding a hiding place. A large cave system was found not far from the farm. It was the perfect place to keep the residents until the farm was cleared. However, to avoid suspicion, the shelters would have to be taken down. There was no telling how long it would take to bring everything back to the way it was.

Echo couldn't help but wonder if Uriah would remain passive through all of this.

xxx

He was strangely calm nowadays. Uriah had come to peace with HUGS. Though he wasn't exactly friends with most of the mobs, he continued to tolerate them. On good days, he almost felt fond of some, like Gideon, Echo, May and Skipper. Hannah had caught him talking to little May a couple of times. He had to admit, she was pretty cute for a Creeper.

Echo had been working on 'The Plan' for two days now. Uriah wasn't really sure what it involved, but he noticed that HUGS was beginning to disappear. Shelters were coming down, and mobs were going into hiding.

Uriah hoped the Ender knew what he was doing.


	22. Pain is the Beginning of Recovery

**Chapter 21: Pain is the Beginning of Recovery**

Ravyn was worried. Though, he was often worried. Now it was more than usual. It had been several days since Hannah and Uriah left. Echo refused to say anything about it. He seemed to have gone into a mental lockdown; refusing to think or speak about anything other than helping the other mobs recover. HUGS was no more, and Uriah had taken Hannah away, leaving them with little hope of rebuilding. Echo committed himself to helping the others relocate and settle into new homes, knowing that Hannah would want them to be safe. Ravyn did all he could to assist him, ordering the other Enders to do the same.

It took only a few days to disperse the mobs. Many of them were content to live together. Gideon allowed his rival to take over the Creeper herd, and settled in a small cave nearby. Skipper and the other spiders were led to a ravine, and the slimes made their way to the nearest swamp. Silverfish scattered into the cobblestone, and the Snow Golems wandered off on their own, not wanting any help.

" _I take them._ " Ravyn insisted when it came down to the other Enders. " _We go to Ender Territory._ "

Echo looked at him for a long time. That was easier said than done. The others might be able to settle there, but Ravyn was an outcast.

" _Not safe,_ " Echo reminded him, " _No home for you._ "

Ravyn nodded. He knew.

" _I come back._ " He replied. " _This my home._ "

Echo thought about this. Why would Ravyn risk going into Ender Territory only to come back here? The others knew the way, so it wasn't like they needed a guide. No, it was because of something else. Echo could see it in the young Ender's lavender eyes.

Ravyn knew he needed to be alone for a while.

xxx

Echo was alone, now. Aside from May, who had not been able to find a place among the other Creepers. The Ender was happy to have her company, though.

So this was what it felt like.

Grief.

Echo had dreaded this feeling from beginning. Every time, Uriah had gotten a little closer to the breaking point. He had hit Echo the last time he snapped. This time, he hadn't even touched the Ender, yet the pain ran deep.

Night had fallen. Echo, still being accustomed to his daytime routine, began to feel the pull of sleep. He was exhausted. Even so, he stepped out of the cave. May followed close behind him on her tiny paws, not wanting to be left on her own. The Ender sat down on the top of a small hill. It wasn't very high up, but he could see a long way out. The sky was clear, and the stars shone brightly around the full moon.

How could the world still be so beautiful, when everything had fallen apart?

Echo couldn't keep it in any longer. He wept. Little May stared up at him, shocked and confused by the tears that streamed from the Ender's eyes and fell in the grass by her feet. The tiny Creeper squeaked, calling to her giant friend in concern. He didn't respond.

Echo didn't know how long he sat there. May never left his side, soon coming to accept there was nothing she could do to help him right now. The Ender's face burned from the tears, but he didn't notice. Heaving a long sigh, he fell back, staring up at the night sky through misty eyes. He was dehydrated. Hungry. Feelings that had nothing to do with his emotional state. Why was that a relief?

There was a rustling in the trees. Echo sat up slowly, not wanting to worsen the pain that was already making his head swim. There were no other mobs around besides him and May. Echo tried to catch a scent, but none of his senses seemed to be working right. A shadow swooped overhead, and for a brief moment, Echo could have sworn he heard wingbeats. What bird had wings so big they stirred the trees like that?

Something fell in the grass next to him, startling May, who had fallen asleep. Forgetting the bird, Echo picked it up.

Chorus fruit.

Echo didn't need to have ever tasted it to recognize it. Any Ender would know their native food, whether they were Pureblood or born in the overworld. Echo took a bite, instantly feeling his spirits rise. There were two more that had fallen nearby, and Echo wasted no time gathering them up. He hadn't forgotten his grief, but for the moment he chose to ignore it. After all, Hannah wouldn't have wanted him to dwell on his sadness forever. He still had to take care of himself. Especially now that Ravyn had left.

xxx

Sylas watched from afar as the Ender stood and made his way back to the cave. The Chorus fruit had been meant for the famous Ender twins, but this seemed a better cause to give them to. Besides, he still had a few left.

Sylas' wings fluttered in the night breeze, and he remembered that he had to get back to his travels. Though, he had a feeling this wouldn't be the last time he saw this particular Ender.

xxx

Echo knew the cave would be the best place for him, now. There was nowhere else for him to go. HUGS had been reduced to ashes, and all the dens in the surrounding area had been taken by the others.

Walking deeper into the cave, Echo found a side chamber lit by a small lava flow. It wasn't much, but it was certainly better than his first den.

May chirped at his feet. Echo looked down at her, and allowed a small smile. This would be fine. He would be fine. The grief would pass, and he would decide what to do from there. He was well into his adult years. Perhaps he would finally settle. It would be rather lonely without a mate, though. Even if May was doing her best to keep him company. It just simply wasn't the same.

Perhaps he would teach Ravyn english when he returned. Though, the young ender might have other plans.

Perhaps…

Perhaps he would rebuild HUGS.


	23. Out of the Ashes

**A/N: Heeyyyy everybody… (-.-') sorry I took so long on such a short chapter, I've had a lot of things going on. Anyway, here it is. Again, Sylas does not belong to me. Special thanks to TealEmpress for letting me borrow him. Be sure to check out her story,** _ **Cry of the End**_ **!**

 **God bless, and stay Wonderful!**

XXX

 **Chapter 22: Out of the Ashes**

He was going to need more than the cobblestone that had been harvested from deconstructing the shelters. The house had been made of wood. There was also the problem of fences and torches. Echo had never learned to craft.

First things first, though. He had to go and inspect the damage.

It had been about a week since Uriah took Hannah away. Ravyn would return from Ender territory soon, and Echo was determined to show him that he was all right.

xxx

It had taken some time to shuttle the materials out of the cave. Cobblestone was easy enough to work with, but there was still the problem of lumber. Echo chose to ignore that for now, however.

He awoke that day feeling strangely optimistic. Echo woke his tiny companion, setting May on his shoulder as Hannah had done. The Creeper dozed off as he walked out of the cave, unable to teleport with her as he could with the humans. He didn't mind walking, though. It gave him time to plan out what he would be doing for the day.

However, plans came to a sudden halt when the Ender came within view of the clearing.

Someone else had arrived before him.

xxx

Sylas rarely stayed in one place when he was outside his home region. The ashes captivated him, though. He had returned several times to this same place. What had been here? Whatever it had been, it vanished only a little while ago. It appeared to have been taken by fire, yet most of the surrounding trees were intact.

This had been done on purpose.

A soft rustling nearby made the traveler's ears prick. He was being watched. Pressing his wings tightly against his back, he looked around. There was a familiar scent in the air.

Enderman.

xxx

Echo knew his presence had been noticed. He remained hidden, though, staring at the stranger from afar.

He was tall. Perhaps taller than Echo, but not by much. The Ender had never seen any living creature like him. Hannah had once mentioned something about humans being able to change their look with the illusion of a "skin", but Echo knew this was no illusion.

It was an Enderman.

But not like any Ender Echo had ever seen. Rather than smooth skin, he had a coat of short black fur. His hands and feet were more like paws, with short, pointed claws at the tips.

After taking a minute to assess the stranger's presence, Echo stepped out from the shadows.

xxx

It was the same Ender from that night. The one that had been weeping. Sylas relaxed a bit after recognizing him, but remained careful. He hadn't interacted with Wonderian Enders much in his travels. Those he had met had been rather aggressive.

Sylas stood still as the stranger approached, keeping a respectful distance between them. The difference between the Enders was strange. Though they were of the same species, they were very different from one another. Taigonan Enders had fur, while Enders of the Wonderian Country had smooth skin. This one in particular also had a white handprint mark on one shoulder.

" _What are you?_ " The Wonderian asked. Sylas struggled to understand the native Ender-Speak. That, too, was much different than the language of his home region.

"I'm an Enderman, from the Taigonan Region." Sylas answered in English, hoping the Wonderian would understand that. However, something told him that this particular Ender knew the local human language.

xxx

The stranger spoke English. Echo wasn't sure what to think of that. He didn't bother asking about it, though. Switching over to his second language, he questioned the stranger again.

" _Why are you here?_ "

The stranger shifted on his paw-feet, looking uncomfortable. Good. Echo didn't want him to try anything.

"I'm a traveller," He replied. The stranger had a perfect English accent. "I bring messages from the Empress to the ruler of this country."

Echo tilted his head, unsure whether or not to believe him.

"I was just leaving," The stranger added quickly, dipping his head slightly. Echo continued to watch the stranger as he backed away, not turning, but instead moving backwards until he reached the cover of the trees. There was a rustling, and a sound almost like birds' wings, and the stranger was gone.

What an odd encounter.

For some reason, Echo didn't expect that to be the last time he saw the strange Enderman.

xxx

However, Echo soon forgot about the stranger. He became focussed on his new mission; to rebuild HUGS. The shelters would be easy enough to recreate, as they had been simple cobblestone buildings. What little wood had been on them was already in convenient planks from being taken down.

With May as his company, Echo began laying the foundations. All exactly the same as it had been before. Home.

It was another day or so before Ravyn returned. He was eager to help his mentor with the new project. It was just the two of them, day in and day out, working hard. Soon, HUGS would rise out of the ashes.


	24. Time Goes By

**Chapter 23: Time Goes By**

It was a rare moment for Onra to have some time to herself. The twins were growing. It had been two years since the incident. Onra had not heard from Echo since then, when HUGS was destroyed.

Shep shifted in his sleep. Taking in the dog had been the least Onra could do to help. Echo was barely able to take care of the orphaned Creeper, May. It had been difficult for him to separate from his canine friend. Onra was glad to have Shep, though. He helped guard the den while Festas was hunting. The twins had no reason to fear the gentle wolf, and took to him as a playmate.

Still, Onra's heart ached for her friend. She could only imagine what Echo was doing now. It felt wrong that she should be thriving while he had to bear this grief.

xxx

Echo was content. Even after Ravyn left him to find a mate, he was not lonely. May was no longer an infant. Now a fully grown Creeper, she was very strong and did all she could to help Echo as he continued to rebuild HUGS. Brick by brick, board by board. The Ender did not rush himself. No detail could be spared. What he could not make or find on his own, he took from the nearby village. Going in disguise, he managed to act like a human well enough to be able to trade with the villagers. The Ender was able to find plenty of emeralds and tradable items from the caves, which he traded for wood planks and other building materials he could not craft himself.

Yes, he was content. He had company, and a purpose. But he still missed Hannah.

There was a part of him that was missing, now. And it could never be filled by anything or anyone but her.

XXX

 **A/N: Sorry for the tiny filler chapter... I just realized that I didn't mention anything about Shep in the past few chapters. The doggo is safe! Anyway, final chapters are coming soon! Thanks for reading :)**

 **God Bless, and Stay Wonderful!**

 **-Wodner**


	25. Wolves, Wings and Welcome Back (Part I)

**Chapter 24 (Part I): Wolves, Wings and Welcome Back**

Echo donned his disguise once again. It was surprising how the villagers hadn't suspected anything of him yet. Perhaps he passed as a human better than he first thought.

May watched quietly from her corner of the room as the Ender covered his midnight skin with the long traveler's cloak. It had been one of the few things that survived the fire. At one point, it had probably belonged to Uriah, but Echo held no grudge against him. Though the Ender missed Hannah dearly, and it had been Uriah who had taken her away, Echo knew that Uriah was only trying to protect her.

" _I will return at midnight._ " Echo told May. The Creeper nodded, chirping a farewell. Echo smiled, and patted her on the head before walking out of the den.

xxx

Two years was an excruciatingly long time. It had taken several months to settle with his new life. May made good company, and Onra was nearby as well. Though Echo had not visited her in some time, it was reassuring to know she was there.

It was already dark as the Ender emerged from the cave. He didn't mind. Since he now lived on his own terms, his sleep schedule had become random. Sometimes he slept at night, in order to have better light during the day while continued his work on HUGS. Sometimes, he took a break from this task, and slept during the day to visit the other mobs at night. Gideon and Skipper were very happy with their new families, and often passed through the area as they moved about the forest.

Echo was somewhat surprised that the villagers had not yet caught on to him. He towered at least two feet taller than most of them, and his tough black skin was still very much visible on his face and hands. Not to mention there was no way to hide his piercing violet eyes. Still, the villagers remained oblivious, not seeming to care about anything but his wares. Living in a cave made it easy to find ores, which he could trade to blacksmiths for finished metal. There were countless wildflowers and herbs in the forest that the farmers offered stacks upon stacks of seeds for. The village seemed to be an endless supply of materials. If he continued to work at the pace he was now, HUGS would be nearly complete within the year.

xxx

The moon was climbing slowly in its path along the night sky as Echo went towards the village. He didn't teleport much now. Though he was perfectly capable of doing so, and could travel almost twice as far as a normal Ender in one jump. Still, he chose to walk. It gave him time to think, and relax. There was no need to rush. After all, Echo was nearing the slower years of his life. Unlike humans, Enders mature and age very quickly. Any other Ender would have produced at two offspring once they reached twenty. Echo, on the other hand, remained solitary. He would go on to live many more years, but he would need to settle down eventually. That was exactly what he planned to do once HUGS was finished. Settle down, and grow old in contentment and peace. He had found his purpose in life, and soon, it would be fulfilled.

A distant noise broke his thoughts. Echo stopped in his tracks, tilting his head to listen. It came from the direction of the village. It sounded again…

The shout of a young woman.

xxx

Echo teleported, losing the cloak somewhere along the way. Following the shouts, he found himself on the edge of the woods. Below him was a hollow, surrounded by trees and low bushes. On the far end stood a small cliff that jutted out of the earth.

Against it, a human girl was cornered, facing a pack of growling wolves.

She was guarding a lamb―shouting at the wolves and warding them off with a wooden sword. Echo knew she wouldn't last long.

The Ender got a familiar feeling in his chest. His eyes drew to slits, and a growl rose in his throat.

xxx

The shepherd girl couldn't mask her fear any longer. The wolves snarled, already angered by the blows from her sword. At first they had only wanted the lamb. Now, they wanted her, as well.

She was just about to make a daring run for it, when an explosion of purple sparks lit up the air between her and the dogs. She froze, eyes widening. The air shook with the nightmare roar of an Enderman.

The girl screamed, falling back against the cliff.

Echo bared his sharp teeth at the wolves, the spines on his back raised like wings. The wolves hesitated, but did not run. Echo hissed at the wolves, making them shy away. He advanced. They retreated.

The shepherd girl made a move to run away, before the Ender spotted her. However, before either of them could do anything, another sound caught Echo's attention. He growled lowly, preparing for another wolf. The girl took her chance, scooping up her lamb and sprinting away. Echo glanced back at her, making sure she got away safe before turning back to the approaching figure. It wasn't a wolf. Perhaps a zombie or skeleton? There was a scent of Ender nearby, but the creature that was coming down towards him was something else.

Suddenly, it hit him. Or rather, embraced him.

The impact was so startling that the Ender didn't have a chance to react. He looked down, seeing a familiar head of red-brown hair. Human arms squeezed him.

It couldn't be…

"Echo, Echo, Echo!" The girl cried. "It's you, I know it is!"

Echo pulled away slightly, getting a better look at her. Bright green eyes stared back, brimming with joyful tears.

"-Hannah?"

 **A/N: Yay! Hannah is Back! But where was she for two years? And how did she end up here? Echoes From His Past is drawing to a close, everybody. I can't wait to finish it off with the grand finale! Thank you all so much for reading and reviewing. If you haven't read the prequel to this story, HUGS, feel free to check it out once this one is complete! (And find out what Hannah was up to in the two years she was gone!) Anyway, God bless, and stay wonderful!**

 **-Wonder**


	26. Wolves, Wings and Welcome Back (Part II)

**Chapter 24 (Part II): Wolves, Wings and Welcome Back (Part Two)**

"Hannah!" Cried another voice, breaking the haze of the shocking reunion. Another girl had appeared, looking a bit older than Hannah, making her way carefully down the slope to join them. There was a rustling sound from the brush, and a dark figure flew out and landed neatly in the grass a few paces away. The spines on Echo's back tensed.

Enderman.

There was something odd about this one, something familiar. But Echo was certain he had never met a winged Enderman before.

" _Who are they?_ " He asked. Hannah seemed to notice his apprehension. She released him, putting a calming hand on his arm.

"Friends," She assured him. She looked at the winged Ender. "Sylas, this is Echo. Echo, Sylas."

Echo had heard that name before. Then, he remembered―the traveler. Echo nodded a greeting, still not certain about him.

The other girl had finally made it through the brush, panting.

"That's Delta," Hannah said. "Delta, this is Echo."

"Nice to meet you," The stranger said, out of breath.

Seeming to think that was a satisfactory introduction, Hannah turned and embraced Echo again.

"I can't believe it." She whispered, her voice muffled. "I thought I would never see you again…"

" _And I you._ " Echo replied, stroking her hair comfortingly and trying to ignore the confusion that still lingered in his mind.

"Hey!" Chirped Delta, "Since you two obviously have some catching up to do, why don't you invite him to come with?"

Echo stared at her. He still didn't know anything about this person, other than her name.

"Huh?" Hannah turned back to her, "What, you mean to the village?"

"Why not?" Delta said, grinning.

Echo tensed. He couldn't go into the village without his disguise. The villagers knew his voice. There was no telling what might happen if they finally found out they had been trading with an Ender all this time. Hannah seemed to sense his sudden tension, saying,

"I don't think so."

"Well, you haven't seen him in forever, right? Don't you, you know, want to catch up or something?"

"Yes, but…"

" _Hannah, may we speak?_ " Echo asked, putting a hand on her shoulder. She looked up at him, seeming to sense his urgency.

"... Okay…"

Echo pulled her aside, out of earshot from the others.

" _Where is your brother?_ " He asked. " _What has happened?_ "

Hannah hesitated. Ender could sense that something terrible had happened.

" _Hannah…_ "

"We had a fight." She finally replied. "We had a fight, and I left. I've been traveling with Delta and Sylas."

" _But are they not strangers?_ " Echo asked, concerned.

"Yes, but… it's just that the problem is…" She hesitated. Echo waited patiently for her to continue.

"... It's just that… Uriah always took care of me. I kind of don't know what to do on my own."

Echo was silent. Only something awful could have made Hannah leave her childhood protector for complete strangers. But, despite that, she was safe. That was all that mattered. Echo sighed.

" _You certainly do know how to put yourself in a dilemma, don't you?_ " He jested lightly, shaking his head. Then, he was serious again. " _Are you sure you can trust them?_ "

Hannah glanced back at her companions. The winged Ender shook out his feathers, and the girl, Delta, was pulling twigs out of her hair.

"Sort of?"

" _You are not certain._ " Echo observed.

"Well, no…" Hannah murmured. "I've only known them for 24 hours. They've been very kind to me, though."

" _I see._ " Echo sighed. Hannah was good at reading people. And, according to his own judgment, the strangers did not seem dangerous. " _Then you wish to continue traveling with them?_ "

Hannah hesitated.

"Well, I don't know now. You showing up has changed things. I wanted to go with them, but I haven't seen you in years…"

Echo's heart ached a bit. Hannah was much more grown up than when they had last seen each other. This was a decision she would need to make. Still, Echo couldn't help but express his own desire;

" _The choice is yours. But I would prefer if you came with me._ "

"To where?"

" _I shall show you. Like I said, though. You must choose for yourself._ "

Hannah frowned. "But what if I choose wrong?"

" _You will not._ "

They went back to join Hannah's companions.

"So, what are you going to do?" Asked Sylas. Echo noticed that he was concerned for her, as well.

"I… I don't know." Hannah murmured, still thinking. It was obviously an overwhelming choice for her to make. However, Echo knew that whatever choice she made, she would be safe.

She knew what she was doing.

xxx

"Thank you both so much for all your help…" Hannah said to her friends. Echo had gone with them into the village, but only as far as the hotel doorstep. He couldn't risk being spotted by one of the merchants.

"...But I think I'll go with Echo now." Hannah was saying. Echo did his best to hide his relief. There was obvious disappointment in Delta's eyes.

"Oh."

"But that doesn't mean we can't keep in touch," Hannah said quickly. "I believe we could still be great friends. It's just like you said. I want to catch up with an old friend. But that doesn't mean I won't have time to visit new ones."

Delta smiled a little.

"Alright, deal." She replied. "Just remember that you said that, alright?"

"I will."

The girls hugged, and Hannah promised to meet Delta on her way back from delivering Sylas to his home region. Then, she turned to the winged Ender.

"Thank you, too, Sylas." She told him. "I'm certain that I'll never meet another Enderman like you."

Sylas grinned. "You're going to have to let me know if you do."

Hannah smiled back. "Of course."

Echo was growing restless. Though he didn't want to push Hannah, he didn't have much time before he might be spotted.

" _Hannah,_ " He said quietly.

"Okay, okay." Hannah sighed, then turned back to her companions one more time. "Thanks again." She told them "You'll never know how much it means to me."

"Yeah, yeah." Said Delta. "Enough with the gushy long goodbyes. You two had better get going before you see me cry."

"Oh, Delta." Hannah gave her one last hug, shaking Sylas' hand.

"Don't forget, okay?" Delta called from the doorway as Echo and Hannah started off towards the woods. "You promise you'll be there?"

"I promise!" Hannah called back. "Goodbye!"

"See you later!"

xxx

Echo couldn't help but feel just a little bit jealous of Sylas. The strange Ender had obviously made an impression on Hannah. She said little as they made their way into the woods.

" _It is a long journey back to my den,_ " Echo told her once they were well out of sight of the village. " _We are going to have to teleport._ "

Hannah nodded. "Sure."

" _Hannah,_ "

"Hm?"

Echo hesitated. Perhaps now was not the time. She seemed to see the question in his eyes, though. She smiled.

"It's good to see you again, Echo."

XXX

 **A/N: Again, I do not own Sylas. He is the original character of TealEmpress from her story "Cry of the End". AMAZING read! I highly recommend it :)**

 **God Bless, and Stay Wonderful!**

 **-Wonder**


	27. Finally Home

**Chapter 25: Finally Home**

" _This way._ " Echo said, guiding Hannah farther into the cave. " _Watch your step._ "

Finally they reached the den. May was nowhere to be seen, but that wasn't of any concern. The Creeper often went off on her own nowadays. Hannah looked around the little cavern, from his collection of blocks for trading to the makeshift grass bed he had made for himself.

"Do you… live here?" She asked.

" _Yes._ " Echo replied, walking over to the darker side of the room to check on a crack that had started to form. " _After aiding the others in finding new homes, I returned here and built my own._ "

"Are the others alright?"

" _Yes._ " He replied. " _I visit Gideon and Skipper frequently. They are both thriving, and I assume the rest are as well._ "

"Good." Hannah sighed with relief. It was good to see that she hadn't forgotten about them.

"And what about you? How have you been?"

Echo hesitated. This was a question with no clear answer. He didn't want her to worry...

"Echo?"

" _I have fared well._ "

"You didn't miss me?" Hannah said, pretending to be hurt. Echo's dark face flushed violet.

" _Of course… Of course I missed you, Hannah._ "

Hannah grinned. "I was just kidding. I missed you, too." She hugged him. Her voice suddenly went quiet.

"I missed you… so much…"

Despite not seeing her for so long, Echo still knew her. She was still Hannah. She hadn't forgotten him.

She was trying to hold back tears, to no avail. Choking on a sob, her arms held him tighter. She was scared. At least, she had been. She had come a long way, putting on a strong front.

" _You are brave, Hannah._ " He said quietly. " _But even the most courageous shed their tears._ "

"I'm sorry…" She whispered, her tears starting to burn his skin.

" _Do not apologize._ " He told her, stroking her hair comfortingly. If she ever needed a protector, it was now.

xxx

Echo awoke to a shout from the cavern nearby.

"Creeper!"

The Ender shot to his feet and rushed to her aid, only to find that there was no real danger.

" _Hannah?_ "

Seeing him, Hannah scrambled up past a very startled May. Echo caught her before she could run off. She stared up at him, panicked, looking back at May.

" _Rest, Hannah,_ " He coaxed. " _Do you not recognize her?_ "

Hannah stared at the Creeper for a moment. May moved closer, hissing anxiously. She wanted Hannah to recognize her. After a moment, Hannah relaxed, and bent down to look at the Creeper. May scuttled up to her, sniffing and whimpering.

"May?"

The Creeper shook all over with excitement, jumping up into Hannah's lap and nuzzling her. Hannah's confusion broke into a wide smile.

"It is you!" Hannah laughed. "My little May!"

" _She has stayed here with me._ " Echo explained. " _I suppose I am not surprised you did not identify her. She certainly has grown._ "

"Grown?" Hannah exclaimed, "She's an adult! Just look at those paws!"

Hannah held up one of May's rough, padded feet, admiring the Creeper's healthy dark claws.

"Oh, you're all grown up, aren't you?" Hannah cooed, nuzzling the Creeper. Echo smiled. It was good to see Hannah again. It was good to hear her laugh.

It was good to be home.

xxx

Echo didn't waste time. He had to show Hannah his work. Though he didn't want to admit it, he hoped that showing her the house would get her to stay. Without Hannah, it was just a house. If she stayed, it would finally be home again.

" _I have something to show you,_ " Echo told her, guiding her to the mouth of the cave.

"What is it?" She asked.

" _You shall see._ " He replied, refusing to say any more.

They walked to the house. May could not survive teleporting, and wouldn't tolerate being left behind. Echo could tell that Hannah's curiosity was mounting with every step. Just before coming in sight of the house, Echo put his hands over Hannah's eyes. They stopped.

"Echo…!" Hannah protested. Echo cut her off,

" _Be still. We are here._ "

He guided her forward, onto the gravel path leading up to the front gate. May scuttled ahead, excited. Hannah shifted, focussing on keeping her balance.

"Really, what is all this about, Echo-"

" _Hannah._ "

She hesitated. "What?"

" _Welcome home._ "

xxx

Hannah was silent for a minute after Echo removed his hands from her eyes. As if in a trance, she whispered,

"Home…"

Echo couldn't help but be hopeful.

" _Do you like it?_ " He asked quietly. It was rather selfish of him to bring her here only to try to get her to stay. He knew that. But, the way she looked at it now, it seemed there was no other place she longed to be.

xxx

" _I rebuilt it to the best of my ability._ "

"It's beautiful."

" _I could not acquire many torches._ "

"That's okay."

" _Hannah?_ "

"Yes?"

" _What is wrong?_ "

She was still in her entranced state, answering all his questions quietly, distracted. She hesitated, trying to come back to reality and answer his question.

"It's just that…" She paused, sitting down at the table Echo had worked for weeks to recreate. She moved her hands over its surface, as if trying to find a memory there.

"... It's just… I don't know what to say." She looked back to him. "Echo… I love it."

The question came out before Echo could stop it.

" _Then will you stay?_ "

She was quiet again. And for a long, dreadful moment, Echo feared she was having second thoughts. Her gaze drifted around the room, before settling back on Echo. The Ender wasn't sure how to read the emotion behind those green eyes. She seemed a little sad, but also content.

"Yes… of course I'll stay."


	28. Beginning Anew

**Chapter 26: Beginning Anew**

Hannah helped Echo with the finishing touches on the house. It was only a month or so later that it was ready for her to move in.

"Thank you so much, Echo." Hannah said as she admired the finished product. "For everything."

" _It would not have been complete without you._ " Echo answered.

"Aw, you're just being nice."

" _Hannah,_ " Echo's voice was serious. " _Without you, this is only an ordinary house. When you are here, it is home._ "

She knew it was true. To Echo, at least. No matter how she denied it, he would never be at home without her.

She dipped her head. "Stop it, you're going to make me cry again."

" _Even the most courageous shed their tears._ " Echo told her. Just as he had said before.

"I'm not brave." Hannah whispered.

Echo pulled her into an embrace, sensing her grief.

" _Yes, you are._ "

xxx

Hannah had made the decision not to rebuild the mob houses. It was against human law, after all, and they didn't want to risk another incident. Echo didn't mind, knowing that Hannah would continue to feed and care for the mobs that passed through. It also left the Ender with plenty of materials left over to make a more suitable home for himself in the cave. As much as he wanted to stay at the house with Hannah, there remained a rift between them that he refused to cross. Hannah was older now. She made decisions for herself. It would only be a matter of time before she no longer needed a protector.

xxx

"Check this out, Echo," Hannah said when he came to dinner that night. Though they did not live together, Hannah insisted on having the Ender over for meals.

She showed him a picture. A woodland cabin, surrounded by trees. As Echo continued to look at it, he noticed that there were mobs hidden in the greenery. It seemed to symbolize something, though the Ender wasn't sure exactly what.

"There's a message on the back," Hannah continued, turning it over. Sure enough, two short lines were scrawled in a familiar hand;

 _Forgive me_

 _I love you._

"It's from Uriah." She said quietly. "I'm certain."

Echo was silent. Hannah had told him about what happened. This was a peace offering. Uriah and Hannah were adults now. It was time for them to follow their own paths. Echo knew that. They all knew that.

This was a sign to begin anew.

XXX

 **A/N: Sorry for the short chapters.. Echoes from his Past is finally coming to a close. Two more chapters, and it will be complete! Thank you all so much for reading and reviewing. It's been very encouraging!**

 **God bless, and stay wonderful! :)**

 **-Wonder**


	29. Her Happily Ever After

**Chapter 27: Her Happily Ever After**

Sylas touched down just outside the front gate, folding his wings carefully behind his back. It was a special day.

Delta had beat him there, somehow, and was waiting on the porch. She grinned at the winged Ender.

"Glad you could make it, slowpoke!" She teased. Sylas shook his head, smiling.

"Where is everyone?" He asked.

"Backyard." Delta replied. "You're just in time."

xxx

It had been only a year or so since Hannah had returned to her home, but the house looked as if it had been lived in all along. It was a home again.

Sylas glanced at the painting on the entryway wall. The picture Uriah had sent, according to Hannah. Brought by a certain lonely courier, the same one that had seen Hannah break up a Creeper tussle so long ago. Oddly enough, the same person she was marrying today.

No one had expected the proposal at Christmas. Sylas had been there. Hannah was happy.

Sylas and Delta were greeted by Echo as they stepped out onto the lawn. After the first few visits, he had come to accept them. Since then, they had become good friends.

" _Welcome,_ " Echo said, leading them to where the other guests were milling about.

"It is good to see you, Echo." Sylas replied. "How are you feeling?"

Echo smiled slightly. Despite the joyful atmosphere, there was a hint of sadness in his violet eyes.

" _I am happy for Hannah._ " Echo said. It was the truth. " _I was not expecting her to ask me to do this._ "

Hannah has asked him to give her away. Little did she know what it really meant to Echo. For years, the Ender had thought of himself as her protector. Now, he would be giving her away to someone else. Her new protector. Her husband.

"I'm sure everything will be grand." Sylas assured him. Echo nodded. This was a day of celebration, after all.

This was Hannah's happily ever after.


	30. Epilogue

**Epilogue: Someone New**

Echo was content.

It had been some time since he had given Hannah away. She was happy. He was happy for her. However, there was still that part of him that needed to be filled. Though he no longer had Hannah, he was still a protector by heart. Though the Ender was happy, there was still that distant ache.

He was no longer needed.

xxx

This day was different. Echo lay alone in his den. His food supply was low, but he didn't feel like hunting. He didn't feel like bothering Hannah.

The Ender thought he could feel the planet turning as he lay in silence. A distant rumbling brought him out of his trance. He sat up, listening.

Then, a heart-wrenching wail.

An Ender's death cry.

Something terrible had happened.

xxx

Scalding tears dripped from Onra's eyes. She didn't hear the footsteps that pounded up behind her. Hannah and her husband. Echo wouldn't be far behind.

Still, she did not notice.

Finally, she caught her breath, only to let it out again in a long moan.

A flash of violet, and Echo was there.

Everyone except Onra was silent.

Huge boulders blocked the space that had once been the entrance to Onra's den. Landslide.

Festas had been asleep.

He would never awaken.

xxx

Onra was shaking, tears flowing uncontrollably from her indigo eyes. Echo could feel his heart calling out to her.

 _She needed him_.

Without a second thought, Echo pulled her into his arms. She sobbed, another wail cut short by a fit of coughing.

A few paces away, Hannah watched sadly.

"Are you all right?" Her husband asked quietly, taking her hand. She nodded.

"I'll be fine." She whispered. "Echo will take care of her."

"Maybe we should go, then."

Hannah nodded. Onra would be just fine in Echo's arms.

And Echo had someone new to protect.


	31. Thank You!

**Well, Echoes from his Past has finally drawn to a close. Thank you so much for reading! I hope you enjoyed it. Special thanks to those of you who left reviews; they were very encouraging. Echoes from his Past has gotten the most reviews out of all my stories so far! Shoutout to Liliana Dragonshard for reviewing nearly every chapter, and to TealEmpress for letting me borrow her character Sylas (again). If you're interested in reading the original story, HUGS, here is the link to read it:**

 **s/12107857/1/HUGS**

 **If you've read any of my other fanfictions, you know that I try my best to base my writing off some kind of moral. Echoes from his Past, like many of my other stories, revolves around family values such as love, loyalty, hope, and respect. Echo knew that he would not always be Hannah's protector, she might even disappear from his life at times, but he still loved her. He cared for her in a way that only best friends can. He wanted the best for her, even if she had to leave. Even if he could not always be a part of her life. It can be hard to let go of people you love. It can be hard to watch them go on with their life without you. That doesn't mean you have to stop loving them, though. No matter where life takes you, you will always have certain people in your heart and in your memories. And they will likely have you in their heart as well. Life can be unfair at times. It drags friends apart as people take different paths. This doesn't have to be sad, though. As Echo learned, the people you love are never truly gone. They are always close by, in spirit and in heart. Make the best of the relationships you have. You never know where life may take you. Enjoy the now, and make peace with the future, no matter what it may bring.**

 **Thank you all again for reading, I hope that my writing is not only entertaining, but also inspiring. I am so thankful for all of my readers. :)**

 **It's time once again to say goodbye, I'm afraid. But I doubt I will be gone for long. I hope you all keep these words in mind. Contentment and peace are just a few of the many gifts from God that we can see in our lives. It's up to us to make sure we don't lose sight of hope though a fear of what is to come.**

 **God bless you all, and stay wonderful! ;3**


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